Former President Donald Trump is proposing a policy to impose tariffs on countries that do not repatriate their nationals who are in the U.S. illegally and have been ordered to be deported.
At a town hall event in Phoenix, Arizona, on Thursday, Trump mentioned that he would leverage tariffs against nations that do not assist the U.S. in curbing illegal immigration at the southern border. This includes countries like China, which has historically been reluctant to accept back its deported nationals.
Last month, Chinese officials indicated that they are resuming cooperation with the U.S. government in terms of accepting their deported nationals.
The exact number of Chinese illegal immigrants deported by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is unclear. In April, authorities noted that there had been one deportation flight to China.
In Fiscal Year 2021, only 65 Chinese nationals were intercepted by Border Patrol while attempting to cross U.S. borders.
