Lawyer Chen Chuangchuang recently granted an interview discussing the case of Guan Heng, a Chinese whistleblower who obtained asylum in the U.S. after exposing China’s construction of detention camps for Uyghur minorities. Guan, a YouTuber residing in Henan, China, ventured into Xinjiang in October 2021 to capture footage of the hidden camps, corroborating reports of over a million detained Uyghurs. This journey led to him seeking asylum in the U.S. following a series of events that involved fleeing China, traveling to the U.S. via Ecuador and the Bahamas, and getting caught in an Immigration Customs and Border (ICE) raid.
After a five-year ordeal, a U.S. judge approved Guan’s asylum claim, crediting his compelling testimony. Guan, motivated by concerns for persecuted Uyghurs, documented the camps after being inspired by investigative reports exposing China’s actions in Xinjiang.
Guan’s lawyer explained that his client, initially unaware of the situation in Xinjiang, felt compelled to act after encountering a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative series that shed light on the mass internment camps. Fearing reprisal from Chinese authorities, Guan took a risky journey to the U.S. via Ecuador and the Bahamas to seek asylum after uploading the footage online.
Despite this positive development, Guan remains in detention as the Department of Homeland Security has 30 days to appeal the ruling. Immigration Judge Charles Ouslander commended Guan’s credibility and highlighted the threats he faced from the Chinese government. The decision marked a rare asylum approval amidst declining rates, emphasizing the challenges faced by asylum seekers in recent years.
