Chinese National Arrested by ICE for Acting as Foreign Agent

A Chinese national convicted of illegally acting as an agent of a foreign government has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

ICE agents in Newark, New Jersey, apprehended Ming Xi Zhang on March 24, and he remains in custody, according to an official statement. Zhang originally entered the U.S. legally in June 2000 via Los Angeles International Airport but later violated the terms of his admission.

He was convicted by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey for acting as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the attorney general. On April 30, 2024, he was sentenced to three years of probation for his offense.

ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris stated that any illegal alien engaged in activities related to espionage, sabotage, or export control against the U.S. is subject to deportation.

The agency’s statement did not clarify whether Zhang had violated his probation, and ICE has not provided further comments.

Meanwhile, ICE has intensified its enforcement operations across the U.S. From March 18 to March 23, authorities arrested 370 “alien offenders” in Massachusetts as part of a crackdown on transnational organized crime, gangs, and high-priority deportation cases.

The Tren de Aragua, MS-13, Trinitarios, and 18th Street gangs were among the targets of these operations. The U.S. State Department recently designated Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and El Salvador-based MS-13 as terrorist organizations in February. Federal authorities announced on March 21 that 68 members of Tren de Aragua had been arrested.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 394 members of the Tren de Aragua gang have been apprehended in less than 100 days. The gang is known for crimes including human trafficking, kidnapping, and drug smuggling, which have been described as a threat to American communities.

Additionally, the Department of Justice (DOJ) reported that more than 840 illegal immigrants were charged with immigration-related offenses in a single week as part of Operation Take Back America. The DOJ praised its border prosecutors for their efforts in strengthening national security.

In a separate case, ICE also arrested Jeanette Vizguerra, an undocumented immigrant who had previously taken refuge in churches during the first Trump administration.