Post by : Badri Ariffin

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reversed its decision to deport Guan Heng, a Chinese whistleblower whose clandestine footage from Xinjiang highlighted alleged human rights violations, according to human rights advocates on Monday.

Guan's legal counsel received formal notification confirming that the DHS has withdrawn its request to deport him to Uganda. Human rights attorney Rayhan Asat expressed optimism regarding the future of Guan’s asylum application, indicating it will now advance “smoothly and positively.”

Zhou Fengsuo, director of the advocacy group Human Rights in China, also verified this development, stating, “We are greatly pleased with this outcome,” and crediting the shift in public awareness for influencing the case.

While the DHS has not commented on the matter, records from Immigration and Customs Enforcement show that Guan, age 38, is still in custody. His attorneys are actively pursuing his release from an ICE facility in New York.

Footage of Xinjiang's Detention Centers

Guan garnered international attention in 2020 after covertly documenting detention centers in Xinjiang. Rights organizations estimate that up to one million individuals from ethnic minority groups, particularly Uyghurs, have been detained in such facilities. The Chinese government has denied these allegations, labeling the sites as vocational training centers designed to combat extremism and enhance job skills.

According to Human Rights in China, Guan understood the risks of releasing such footage while still in China. After leaving mainland China for Hong Kong in 2021, he traveled to Ecuador, a country that at the time did not require visas for Chinese nationals, and subsequently continued his journey to the Bahamas.

He then acquired a small inflatable boat and an outboard motor, embarking on a perilous journey across open waters to the United States. After nearly 23 hours at sea, he landed on the shores of Florida, shortly before his Xinjiang footage was posted on YouTube, further contributing to evidence of the alleged abuses in the region.

Family Threatened and Arrested in the U.S.

Following the public release of his footage, it was reported that Guan was doxxed, and his family faced pressure from Chinese state security officials, as stated by the advocacy group. Fearing for his safety if returned, Guan sought asylum in the U.S. and settled in a small town near Albany, New York, aiming for a quiet life.

However, this peaceful period ended abruptly in August when ICE detained him, escalating concerns about his potential deportation and its implications for his safety.

Increased Political Advocacy

Support for Guan has surged in recent weeks, receiving attention from U.S. lawmakers. Prior to a recent court appearance, Congress members urged the administration to extend protections to him.

The bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission acknowledged Guan’s substantial personal sacrifices in documenting what they described as concentration camps in Xinjiang. In a statement on X, they cautioned that deportation would expose him to possible persecution and pressed for U.S. sanctuary for him.

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

“The United States bears a moral duty to defend the victims of human rights violations in Xinjiang,” Krishnamoorthi expressed, emphasizing the importance of supporting courageous individuals who risk their safety to expose these injustices worldwide.

With DHS retracting the deportation order, supporters of Guan are now focused on securing his release from custody and ensuring a swift hearing of his asylum case.

#Global News