Chinese migrant Liu Tiantian sits on a bus to Costa Rica after surviving the perilous Darién Gap, a treacherous jungle between Colombia and Panama. Chinese migrants are increasingly using South and Central America as routes to the U.S. border. Ecuador, a country long used by migrants from Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, is now seeing a surge in Chinese nationals. In response, Ecuador has implemented a visa requirement for Chinese visitors, reflecting a shift in policy under President Daniel Noboa, educated in the U.S. and aligned with American interests.
This policy change underscores the global challenge of migration, testing governments and drawing pressure from the U.S. Migrants from various continents use South America as a bridge to Central America and the U.S., prompting countries to impose new restrictions. Ariel G. Ruiz Soto from the Migration Policy Institute highlights that U.S. pressure has influenced these changes, with countries like Guatemala and Panama also impacted.
The Biden administration supports Ecuador’s new visa requirement. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas praised the move, citing efforts to curb smuggling routes. The U.S. is also taking measures, such as deporting 110 Chinese migrants, the largest removal flight in five years. Since 2023, around 50,000 Chinese nationals have crossed the U.S. border illegally from Mexico.
In a related effort, the U.S. signed an agreement with Panama to detain and deport more U.S.-bound migrants, providing Panama with $6 million for deportation flights. This aims to reduce “unprecedented irregular migration” through the Darién Gap, a hazardous region between Colombia and Panama. Despite these measures, analysts predict Chinese migration will continue, albeit more discreetly. Adam Isacson from the Washington Office on Latin America notes that smuggling networks are resilient and adaptable, and other Latin American countries could become new entry points.
The rise in Chinese nationals crossing the U.S. border comes amid an overall drop in migrant apprehensions. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 179,000 encounters in April, down from a high of 302,000 in December. This decrease is attributed to increased enforcement by Mexican authorities and an executive order by President Biden limiting asylum applications during high illegal entry periods.
Chinese migrants pay traffickers significant amounts for overland transport to the U.S. border. A smuggler in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, mentioned costs exceeding $75,000. Tougher enforcement in Texas has shifted migration streams westward to Southern California. From October to April, over 27,000 Chinese nationals were detained entering San Diego County, a sharp increase from fewer than 1,000 in the previous fiscal year.
In San Diego’s remote eastern edge, near Jacumba Hot Springs, Chinese migrants huddled under a tarp, using translation apps to communicate with aid workers. “We’re mostly fleeing the government,” one migrant explained. “Also, there is no work.” Ecuador, straddling the equator, became a migrant hub 16 years ago when it adopted “universal citizenship,” welcoming new arrivals without visas. This policy has since backfired, with Ecuador now embroiled in a narcotics-driven gang war, forcing many to flee north.
Ecuador’s new visa policy for Chinese migrants reflects past actions. The country banned Chinese migrants a century ago, accusing them of operating opium dens, a ban later lifted. Chinese immigrant communities have since grown in cities like Guayaquil and Quevedo. Ecuador has maintained good relations with China, with significant Chinese investment in infrastructure and aid during the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2023, Ecuador signed a free trade agreement with China.
Post-pandemic, Ecuador saw an influx of wealthier, better-educated Chinese migrants, influenced by social media platforms like TikTok. Joshua Peng from the Wilson Center suggests the U.S. government should use these platforms to inform migrants about the dangers of the journey.
In Quito, migrants from various countries, including Haiti, Venezuela, and China, gather at government clinics for vaccinations before their long journey north. Buses from Quito to the Colombian border display signs in Chinese. The journey becomes costlier as migrants approach the U.S. border, similar to narcotics smuggling routes.
At a Quito restaurant, six Chinese migrants, including Lin Zang and her husband Quan Zang, discussed their plans. They prefer California over Texas due to lower smuggling fees. “California is a good option,” Lin Zang stated, highlighting the financial and logistical challenges of their journey.