As China faced an economic downturn, a record number of Chinese migrants sought safety and opportunity by crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Like many others, more than 24,000 Chinese migrants took the treacherous 60-mile journey through the Darien Gap confronting death and disease before continuing north. With few organizations able to provide Chinese migrants with in-language assistance, the Haitian Bridge Alliance called on CAA to support these new arrivals. Over the past year, our staff made several trips to the San Diego border, providing direct support to Chinese asylum seekers in their transition. 

Listening to their stories reminded us that the movement of people has always been shaped by war, economic crises, and increasingly, climate change. Yet today, migration itself is being weaponized. The right-wing leaders and media attempted to spread false claims that China is “sending military-aged men” across the border. These baseless attacks are designed to incite fear and division in an election year. In response, CAA’s Chinese Digital Engagement team acted swiftly to debunk disinformation in real time on WeChat and other Chinese-language platforms, ensuring that the truth shaped the narrative.