Guan Heng, a Chinese asylum seeker who documented detention facilities in Xinjiang, faces a court hearing Monday to determine whether he will remain in the United States or be deported. The 38-year-old has been held in Broome County Correctional Facility in New York since August 2025, when immigration agents detained him during an enforcement operation.

Guan’s case reflects a broader shift in U.S. asylum policy. Federal data shows that 170,626 asylum seekers were ordered deported in 2025, and asylum applications marked as abandoned rose to 31 percent last year from 11 percent between 2010 and 2024.

The Fight to Stay

Guan Heng said he fears what awaits him if deported. “I would be prosecuted, I would be jailed, I would be tortured. All of that could happen,” the 38-year-old told The Associated Press from his detention cell.

Guan is a journalist and videographer who documented conditions in China’s detention facilities in Xinjiang. According to activists, as many as 1 million members of ethnic minorities, especially Uyghurs, have been held in the region. The Chinese government denies the allegations, with a Beijing spokesperson saying “the development and progress in Xinjiang are plain to see and should not be smeared.”

Guan left China in 2020 with recordings that would become public evidence of what he witnessed. His journey took him through Hong Kong, Ecuador, and the Bahamas before he sailed to Florida in October 2021, releasing most of his footage on YouTube along the way.

Once in New York, Guan sought asylum and built what he described as a “stable” life. He obtained a work permit and worked as an Uber driver and in delivery services. He cut off contact with relatives in China to protect them from potential police harassment.

The Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign disrupted his security when it took office. In August 2025, immigration agents detained Guan during an enforcement operation in the small town where he was living outside Albany. The Department of Homeland Security initially sought to deport him to Uganda, a move that drew public concern and congressional attention.

The department dropped that plan in December after the case gained visibility. But Guan remains in Broome County Correctional Facility in New York, waiting for Monday’s hearing before a judge who will decide his asylum appeal.

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that “this illegal alien from China entered the U.S. illegally at an unknown date and time. All of his claims will be heard before an immigration judge.”

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat and member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, urged Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in a statement to “release Guan and approve his asylum request,” calling for “careful adherence to due process and America’s long-standing commitment to protecting human rights whistleblowers.”

Broader Crisis in Asylum Processing

Guan’s case reflects a surge in deportations. Federal data compiled by Mobile Pathways, a nonprofit that helps immigrants navigate the legal system, shows that 170,626 asylum seekers were ordered deported in 2025. That represents roughly one-third of the half million people the Trump administration deported overall last year.

The data also revealed a dramatic rise in abandoned asylum applications. In 2025, 31 percent of asylum applications were abandoned, compared to 11 percent between 2010 and 2024. Usually a case gets marked abandoned when an applicant misses an appointment, though the cause of the recent spike remains unclear.

In some cities, immigration courtrooms have become detention traps after agents began making arrests during routine hearings. Some immigrants have stopped showing up for appointments entirely because of the danger.

Vanessa Dojaquez-Torres of the American Immigration Lawyers Association said the acceleration worries her. “We are very worried about the number of asylum seekers that will be sent back to extremely dangerous conditions,” she said. “It’s worrying to see that an institution like asylum is being so eroded.”

A Believer in Democracy

Despite his precarious legal situation, Guan expressed faith in the American democratic system. He said he understands why Trump pursued a strict immigration policy after what he characterized as overly lenient prior approaches.

“It’s because the past immigration policy was too lax and caused resentment from many people,” Guan said, adding that he considers such policy shifts “normal” in a democratic society. “No matter what it is, any issue gets both support and opposition. I also have come to know that people in all parts of the country are protesting the government’s too aggressive behavior.”

He said that witnessing both the government’s enforcement actions and public resistance to them has shown him something he values about living in the United States.

“So these things, in total, have allowed me to experience the social atmosphere under the U.S. democratic system,” he said. “At the same time, I’ve felt the warmth of the U.S. society.”

If released, Guan said he intends to stay in the country and contribute. “I would like to do meaningful things. I hope to establish some connections with others so that I can help others.”