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

Traversing Latin America to the US has become a well-worn path for those seeking new lives.

But now would-be migrants are coming from further afield – China.

This year, thousands have already made the trip known as “zouxian” or “the route”.

Their goal: asylum in the US.

Migrants cite a host of reasons for leaving China, from economic uncertainty, to Beijing’s harsh COVID-19 policies, to human rights.

But they can fall prey to human traffickers, corrupt officials, even drug cartels.

Despite the dangers, more and more Chinese are risking it all for the American dream. 101 East investigates.


#Documentary #China #UnitedStates #Migration

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[rickylow]

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.

[EnronnSierra]

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?

[Mrflashydude]

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

[aljazeeraenglish]

Thank you for watching. Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
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[miltonchu]

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.

[TheDysartes]

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.

[AceChina]

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🙄.

[sandokan]

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

[matiacolusso]

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

[secure]

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.

[disconnected-joe]

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

[ShyamKumar-zhoq]

Illegal immigration is not welcome, follow the legal process.

[fangtom]

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

[dbuc]

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

[MachineGunPepe]

The dream of being a hypercapitalism wage slave who can't afford a house and barely an apartment working 50 to 60 hours a week.

[Alamak]

Many of those that entered US watched video on Chinese media known as "Xiao Hong Shu" that teaches ways to enter US illegally. It is very common that many borrowed money from friends and relatives, max out credit cards or take loans from banks with no intention to pay back the money.

[Vancqa]

Jackson has house even locals can't afford working 30 years...😂😂

[kriskravt]

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.

[yolandatubin]

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.

[sasa-jxxp]

American dream? do it the legal way and what about those people who actually waited and spent hundreds of dollars just to be in the US and you get to see this mess.. it's just mind blowing how we ended up this way.