The Chinese migrants risking it all for the American dream | 101 East Documentary

Thank you for watching this episode of 101 East, which is the first part of an investigation into the 'zouxian' phenomenon, where record numbers of Chinese nationals are taking a dangerous route through Latin America to seek asylum in the US. In the next episode, we explore what happens to Chinese asylum seekers once they reach America and investigate the shadowy industries profiting off them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1K1uUM_5yM

I have mainland Chinese colleagues here in Australia that complained all these are lies and China is still the best country to live in. And yet their entire families are all here in Australia. Really says a lot about their mentality.

Can someone tell me how that family came here in May 2023 already living in a nice house in LA, car, abundance of food while I'm working and living with four room mates just to make ends meet?

Most of these Chinese migrants would claim political persecution as the reason for leaving China. However, if you ask them about their view on Taiwan independence, the majority will fiercely argue against it. In their point of view, it is absolutely righteous for themselves to enter the US illegally to pursue their freedom, but it is sinful for the Taiwanese population wanting to live freely outside the ruling of Beijing dictatorship.

I live in The US there is no such things as the “American dream” anymore, everything is so expensive, stop coming here holy shit.

As a Chinese, I have mixed feelings about this, I can only understand their reasoning for risking their lives to flee to a certain degree, but what if they are real criminals, they will say or do anything to escape justice, including disguise as an asylum seeker, there is no way to know for sure

I met some of these people in Thailand after COVID. There was a small group of Chinese who kept to themselves at our hostel. One day I overheard them in Chinese repeatedly talking about my country Mexico which got me to talk with them. They were quite happy to learn I could speak Chinese but more excited to learn I was from Mexico. They started asking me a bunch of questions about crossing the border into the US to which I bluntly told them I had no idea about and discouraged it. I asked where they got these crazy ideas from and they said that people were posting videos and tutorials of how to cross into the US online. The Chinese government hard handed approach to COVID was what made them leave. They wanted to go both for the freedom and economic benefits but they had a very naive and overly optimistic view of the US. They saw the high wages US workers were making but had no idea as to the incredibly high living costs associated with living there. I tried explaining that there was a housing shortage and that their expectations for life in the US would set them for disappointment but they either didn't believe me or brushed off my criticism. I also tried encouraging them to go to German or Australia instead (places which I feel would be better and easier for them to enter) but they seemed dead set on just going to the US. Unfortunately I don't know where they are now as Wechat is blindly and constantly blocking and deleting accounts in SE Asia without reason🙄.

You leave China claiming your are persecuted because of your Christian religion. Why don't they claim asylum in Ecuador?

Asylum seekers is a lie

Illegal immigration is not welcome, follow the legal process.

Emotional damage!!! To get asylum approval these people will say any BS they can about their country.

Some of these will be fleeing prosecution rather than persecution.... Some will be fleeing for genuine reasons whilst many are probably fleeing financial problems, or pending prosecutions for criminal acts.

So these are the Chinese parents who said they travelled 1000 km everyday through forests and rivers to get to school....

In a few years these very same people will talk about how there is no racism in America and how I am lazy and how I should pull myself by my bootstraps.

If people really from poor countries, and even cannot get enough food, there is no any disrespect for them to do that, but like those people, they are not only liars, but also they even like to damage their country for their own interests, it doesn't deserve even single respect

These Chinese individuals were unable to obtain a visa from the US government. However, they were still free to leave China with their Chinese passport issued by the Chinese government. They paid for their own flight to Central America and faced no obstacles or harassment from the Chinese authorities during their journey. It is interesting to note that despite their supposed desperation, they were able to leave China without issue. It's also ironic that they were leaving China legally, only to enter the US illegally.

The saddest part is with all these trouble, they will realize one day that American Dream is not there anymore.

Dosent seem fair to those that go the right way. There’s a billion plus Chinese if too many get the same idea soon will be China instead of USA. How come you just have to cross the border illegally and then you can settle in LA dosent seem fair to me.

Many of those people escape China for economic reasons. They will realize that life in the USA is not like in Hollywood movies and that not everyone is rich. Most had a better life in China (they even had money for this expensive journey that many Americans don't have ) than they will have in the USA especially if they are not young or/ and can't speak English.

Idk, they are acting like it’s a brave thing to do to flee to the US illegally. As a fellow Chinese living in America, I am not supporting or opposing their decision. However I hope your intent is pure and I wish you all best of luck. You will face many many challenges once you arrived, be prepared for the wrose and I wish you the best.