U.S. Government Pauses Deportation of Xinjiang Whistleblower

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has decided to suspend plans to deport Guan Heng, a Chinese national whose covert recordings from Xinjiang have highlighted alleged human rights violations, according to rights advocates reported Monday.

Rayhan Asat, a human rights lawyer involved in Guan's advocacy, confirmed that the legal team was notified of the DHS's retraction of the deportation request to Uganda. Asat expressed optimism that Guan’s asylum process would now continue “smoothly and favorably.”

Zhou Fengsuo, executive director of Human Rights in China, a group supporting Guan, also validated the development, stating, “We are truly pleased with this outcome,” attributing the shift to increased public scrutiny.

DHS has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the situation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement still lists Guan, 38, as detained. His legal team is pursuing his release from New York’s ICE detention center.

Revealing Xinjiang's Reality

Guan gained international attention in 2020 after he secretly filmed detention centers in Xinjiang. Advocacy groups assert these facilities have held up to a million individuals from ethnic minority groups, notably Uyghurs. The Chinese government refutes these allegations, claiming the locations serve as vocational centers aimed at curbing extremism.

According to Human Rights in China, Guan understood that releasing the footage while still in China could jeopardize his safety. In 2021, he left China for Hong Kong, proceeding to Ecuador, which allowed visa-free entry for Chinese nationals at that time, and ultimately reaching the Bahamas.

From there, Guan obtained a small inflatable boat and outboard motor, navigating to the U.S. His journey lasted nearly 23 hours before he landed on Florida’s shores. Shortly after, his footage surfaced on YouTube, contributing to the established evidence against the alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang.

Threats and Detention in the U.S.

Following the release of his videos, Guan was reportedly targeted online, and his family was pressured by Chinese officials, raising fears of persecution if he were to be returned. As a result, he sought asylum in the U.S. and settled in a quiet area near Albany to avoid attention.

However, in August, ICE agents detained him, sparking renewed advocacy as concerns grew about potential deportation risks.

Support from Lawmakers

Support for Guan has surged recently, including from members of Congress. Ahead of a court session, lawmakers urged the Biden administration to intervene on his behalf.

The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission described Guan as someone who risked everything to expose what it characterized as concentration camps in Xinjiang. On social media platform X, the commission emphasized that deportation could subject him to persecution and called for U.S. asylum.

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a leading Democrat on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, has reached out to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, advocating for Guan's asylum and release.

“The U.S. bears a moral duty to support victims of Xinjiang's human rights violations and those brave enough to shine a light on these atrocities,” he wrote.

With DHS halting deportation efforts, Guan’s advocates are now focused on securing his release and ensuring that his asylum claim is adjudicated swiftly.