U.S. conducts second Chinese deportation flight this year

Oct. 18 (UPI) -- The United States has deported a group of Chinese migrants, marking the second U.S. removal flight to the Asian nation this year.

The Department of Homeland Security did not state how many Chinese nationals were aboard the charter flight, but stated the removal occurred Tuesday.

The flight comes after an unknown number of Chinese migrants were deported in early July, which was not only the first removal flight of the year to the Asian nation but the first "large" removal flight of Chinese nationals since 2018.

"Intending migrants should not believe the lies of smugglers -- Chinese nationals without a legal basis to remain in the United States are subject to swift removal," Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said Thursday in a statement .

"The Department of Homeland Security will continue to strengthen consequences for individuals unlawfully entering our country and enforce our nation's laws."

The announcement comes after President Joe Biden issued a proclamation in early June suspending the entry of certain migrants at the southern border.

Since then, encounters at the southern border have decreased more than 55%, according to government statistics, and the Department of Homeland Security states that through the end of August, it has conducted nearly 400 international repatriation flights to more than 140 countries, including China.

"This week's flight demonstrates the Department's continued commitment to pursuing sustained cooperation with the PRC and other international partners to reduce and deter irregular migration," the Department of Homeland Security said, referring to China by the initials of its official name, the People's Republic of China.

According to statistics published by the GOP-led House Committee on Homeland Security in May, there have been more than 24,000 encounters of Chinese migrants at the southern border so far this fiscal year.