In recent years, thousands of Chinese people have taken dangerous routes to the United States in pursuit of freedom. Among them is a man named Pan: after his home in China was looted, he decided to leave the country. He entered the U.S. through Ecuador and now works as a restaurant cook in California.
Although Pan and many other migrants have found jobs, they suffer from language barriers, social isolation, and legal uncertainty. Nevertheless, they describe their lives as “modest but free.”
However, Donald Trump's return is extinguishing these hopes. Immigration raids by the Trump administration, the policy of deporting undocumented migrants, and the deterioration of U.S.-China relations are deepening despair among migrants. Many Chinese migrants still have not received official asylum status. Some have been detained during raids despite holding such status.
“If I get deported, I’ll have to go back to China,” says Pan. “Just the thought of it is unbearable.”
Nevertheless, he remains firm in his decision: “I’m staying. Here, I am free.”
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