With Trump's re-election as US President, the Chinese immigrants who "walk the line" to enter the United States are once again feeling uneasy. In the context of the current political and immigration policy tightening, these immigrants with hopes and dreams are facing more severe challenges. From leaving China to entering the United States through the Mexican border, to the worries and struggles after settling down, this article explores their real situation and future uncertainties.

What is "walking the line": the immigrants' adventurous journey across the border

"Walking the line" originally refers to a complex and secretive illegal immigration route. In recent years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes in the economic situation between China and the United States, it has attracted a large number of Chinese who have chosen to take risks for economic and political reasons. Take Xiao Jing, who is in her 30s, as an example. Due to unemployment and disappointment with the domestic political environment, she decided to pay hundreds of thousands of yuan through an intermediary to enter the United States through Mexico.

For many people, applying for a US visa is cumbersome and has a low success rate, so Xiao Jing chose to apply for a Japanese visa, which is easier to obtain, and tried to enter Mexico from Japan, and then enter the United States from the Mexican border. However, her journey is not just "progressive" as planned, but full of uncertainty. Mexico has strengthened its inspections on immigrants, and the tightening of border management has made her face more unknown risks in the process of "walking the line".

New challenges: policy pressure brought by Trump's inauguration

Since Trump returned to the political stage, his immigration policies have caused widespread concern among undocumented immigrants in the United States. Trump's campaign promises include large-scale deportation of illegal immigrants and strict control of border entry, which makes "walkers" more anxious. Trump has also repeatedly hinted at a harsh attitude towards Chinese immigrants, saying that they are "at the age of joining the military, mostly men", and raised the argument of potential security threats.

In just a few days after Trump's re-election, immigration agents such as Lisa received a large number of inquiries from China. She advised clients to act as soon as possible so that they can complete the "walking the line" entry before Trump officially takes office. She revealed that the current "walking the line" entry process is more complicated, and many people can no longer complete the entire process by collecting information on their own, but need agents to provide assistance with visas to Japan, the European Union and other countries.

Risks and confusion on the road to immigration

For "walkers", the difficulty of the entry road has increased, forcing them to face new challenges. Take Guangxi native Guo Bin as an example. He arrived in the United States with his young daughter last year, but has not yet obtained legal status. Faced with the tightening of immigration policies brought about by Trump's re-election, he is worried about being deported and the difficulty of applying for identity in the future. In the past few months, many "walkers" have been stranded in Mexico, Ecuador and other places. Due to lack of funds or intermediary assistance, they have been stuck or even cheated.

Guo Bin said that many people who failed to enter the country chose to stay in the countries along the way to work, and then try to "walk" after earning a certain amount of money. For some people, returning to China may mean political persecution, so despite facing many risks, they still insist on staying around the border and waiting for the opportunity to enter the United States.

The survival and future of undocumented immigrants in the United States

Some "walkers" who have successfully entered the country have settled down in the United States, but the changes in immigration policies brought about by Trump's inauguration still make them feel uneasy. For example, Li Xiaosan, who was concerned by the Chinese national security department because of his remarks, opened a translation company in the United States and tried to integrate into American society, but because his identity was not approved, he still faced the risk of deportation. Many new immigrants like him are anxiously waiting in the long approval process of political asylum, hoping to maintain the opportunity to live in the United States in an uncertain future.

At present, the application process for political asylum in the United States is lengthy, divided into two steps: pre-examination and scheduling, and the waiting time is as long as several years. Li Xiaosan passed the pre-examination hearing, but facing the upcoming scheduling hearing, his future is still undecided. The possibility of being deported makes him feel stressed because he may be politically persecuted if he returns to China. This situation also troubles many immigrants who have participated in political activities.

Struggle and request in anxiety

For those who "walk the line", being deported not only means facing economic difficulties again, but may even lead to greater political threats. On the X platform, some immigrants have begun to seek understanding and tolerance from Trump through open letters, hoping that he can provide residence opportunities for undocumented immigrants who have settled in the United States. This call not only expresses their fear, but also shows their strong desire for a stable life.

Li Xiaosan and others not only work hard for themselves and their families, but also try to prove their contribution to the United States through communication and participation with different ethnic groups. Faced with the policy changes that Trump may bring, the living space of immigrants is constantly being compressed, but they still try to take root in this strange land.

Struggle and hope in the cracks

Chinese immigrants who "walk the line" to enter the country are under tremendous psychological and practical pressure in the process of crossing the border and making a living. They are pushed into an increasingly harsh environment due to the tension in Sino-US relations and the tightening of US immigration policies. For them, the unknown policies brought by Trump's re-election are like the "Sword of Damocles" hanging over their heads, which may cut off their vision of the future at any time. However, in a difficult environment, they are still full of faith in life and look forward to gaining a place in the new country.

The stories of these "walking the line" guests show the struggle and persistence of an immigrant group in the cracks, and also reflect the huge impact of immigration policies of various countries on individual lives in the era of globalization. In the increasingly tense political and social environment, the challenges faced by immigrants are becoming more severe, but their persistence may also bring more thinking - about the right of human free migration, about the sense of belonging of identity, and about the real dilemma of global immigration policies.