In the past year, Chinese businessman Li Xiaosan and his teenage son embarked on a 5,000-kilometre (3,107-mile) journey through Central America to reach the United States. Along the way, they faced numerous challenges, including being robbed in Colombia, trekking through dangerous jungle in Panama, and taking a perilous sea voyage in Mexico. Despite these hardships, Li remained determined, telling his son that “Freedom is not free.” Ultimately, they were among the 37,000 Chinese nationals arrested for illegally crossing the US southern border in 2023.
Li’s decision to leave China was influenced by the economic and political situation in his home country. Once a successful businessman with multiple properties and international schooling for his children, Li’s life took a turn for the worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. His business collapsed, and he faced strict lockdown policies and government scrutiny due to his outspoken criticism online. Feeling restricted and longing for freedom of speech, Li made the difficult choice to seek a new life in America.
Like Li, many middle-class Chinese migrants heading to the US are college-educated professionals who feel stifled by China’s economic challenges and political restrictions. They see the US as a land of opportunity and political freedom, contrasting with the constraints they face in their home country. Despite the risks and sacrifices involved in the journey, these migrants are willing to endure hardships in pursuit of a better life.
For individuals like Wang, who ran a successful guesthouse in China before the pandemic, the decision to leave their homeland is a difficult but necessary one. Facing economic downturns and political pressures, they seek a new beginning in a country that offers more personal and professional freedom. As they navigate the challenges of undocumented migration and asylum applications, these migrants are prepared to work hard and make personal sacrifices in the hopes of building a better future for themselves and their families.