United States deported Chinese immigrants on a charter flight

The Department of Homeland Security said the United States deported Chinese immigrants on a charter flight.

The administration did not specify the number of people on board the plane.

The Department of Homeland Security said that the United States and China are working to reduce illegal immigration and combat human smuggling.

"We will continue to enforce our immigration laws and deport individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. "People should not believe the lies of smugglers."

Difficulty obtaining U.S. visas and the economic fallout from China's coronavirus lockdowns have led to a sharp increase in Chinese nationals presenting at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Nearly 56,000 Chinese migrants were encountered on the southwestern border with Mexico and the northern border with Canada, crossing between and at ports of entry in fiscal year 2024 through May, according to U.S. government data. That's more than the 52,700 that crossed in the entire 2023 fiscal year that ended in October.

U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat seeking another term in the November 5 elections, is walking a political tightrope on immigration, trying to strengthen security on the US-Mexico border while taking a more humane approach towards immigrants in the United States illegally.

Republican presidential rival Donald Trump regularly criticizes Biden for failing to stop high levels of illegal immigration.