A Chinese national who documented locations in Xinjiang alleged to be detention camps faces possible removal from the United States following his arrest by immigration authorities earlier this year.
The individual, identified as 38-year-old Guan Heng, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in August. His legal team confirms an immigration court recently held a preliminary hearing, with a further session scheduled for January.
According to his attorney, a central question before the court is whether Guan should be sent to Uganda to pursue his asylum claim, as that nation has an agreement to accept certain individuals from U.S. deportation proceedings. His lawyer intends to contest this path, citing concerns that it could ultimately lead to Guan’s return to China.
In a public statement, a congressional human rights commission warned that Guan would face a credible risk of persecution if he were repatriated to China, urging that he be afforded refuge.
The case stems from actions Guan took in late 2021, when he released a video chronicling his travels in China’s Xinjiang region. The footage focused on sites previously identified by external investigators as facilities used to detain Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. International bodies and foreign governments have accused Beijing of operating a vast network of such camps, allegations Chinese officials strenuously deny, maintaining their policies ensure stability and prosperity in the region.
Guan departed China after filming and later entered the United States. In communication with his mother, he expressed no intention of returning to his home country. His family reports that after the video’s publication, relatives in China were questioned by authorities about their connection to him.
His mother, speaking from abroad, described her profound distress over the situation and fear for her son’s safety should he be forced to return. She recounted learning of his detention from a friend’s message and described Guan as being in a state of extreme distress during their subsequent contact.
Guan is currently being held in a federal detention facility in upstate New York as his legal case proceeds.
