Broken Dreams: The Plight of Chinese Migrants to the U.S.

• In Event: Criminology of Mobility. Panel 9. Contemporary issues related to human trafficking

Abstract

This paper examines the post-pandemic rise in migration of Chinese nationals through the Darien Gap, a hazardous corridor between Colombia and Panama, as well as their subsequent struggles upon arriving in the United States. Using narrative criminology as a critical framework, this study analyses how Chinese migrants recount their experiences via YouTube videos and comment sections, revealing patterns of state violence, economic hardship, political repression as well as their mediated imaginations of the United States that shape their migration plans and journeys. The paper also explores the broader implications of restrictive U.S. immigration policies under the Trump administration and the role of digital platforms in resisting the criminalisation of migrants. It argues that border enforcement measures have failed to deter migration and instead have exacerbated the vulnerabilities of asylum seekers, consequently reinforcing organised crime networks and human trafficking operations. The study concludes with policy recommendations aimed at enhancing protections for migrants and improving international cooperation in migration governance.

Authors

• Paul Andell, University of Suffolk

• Xiaorong Gu, University of Suffolk