Over 100,000 undocumented Chinese nationals sit in US while China takes just 3,000 then drags its feet. Law-abiding Chinese travelers now face cash bonds and visa blocks because their government won’t take its own back.
US prepared for visa sanctions on China over migrants issue, official says https://t.co/RuvLOQ4OOx
— The Straits Times (@straits_times) May 5, 2026
WASHINGTON – China is slowing its efforts to repatriate Chinese nationals who are in the US illegally, a senior Trump administration official told Reuters, warning that Washington was prepared to increase travel restrictions on the country if Beijing did not reverse course.
The new US threat toward China comes just days before President Donald Trump’s planned May 14 to 15 visit to Beijing, where, among other issues, he is expected to raise the deportation issue during meetings with his counterpart, Mr Xi Jinping.
The trip is an important one for Mr Trump, who is hoping to win trade concessions from Beijing that he can present to voters ahead of November’s midterm elections that polls suggest could deliver losses for the president’s Republican party.
Since returning to the White House early in 2025, Mr Trump has threatened tariffs and sanctions on numerous countries for failing to accept deportees, a central pillar of his campaign for the White House and hard-line immigration policies.