Lihua Wu’s journey to the United States began when she scrolled through the Chinese social media app Douyin, where she found detailed instructions on how to take the irregular overland trek across Latin America to the US-Mexico border. As a single mother and small business owner from eastern China, Wu had been struggling to make a living after the COVID-19 lockdowns devastated her online makeup wholesaling business. With a language barrier and limited visa options, Wu turned to social media to plan her trip, relying on influencers, private groups, and comments to guide her.
Wu’s story is not an isolated one. According to the US Customs and Border Protection, apprehensions of Chinese nationals at the US-Mexico border have reached over 6,500 in the six months since October 2022, a 15-fold increase over the same period a year ago. The fastest-growing demographic in recent months, Chinese individuals are now making up a significant portion of the hundreds of thousands of migrants arriving at the southwest border.
The increase is attributed to the difficulty in obtaining US visas and the economic after-shocks of China’s COVID lockdowns. Many Chinese nationals, like Wu, are finding solace in social media’s influence, with some even adopting the nickname “Baozai,” an internet personality who gained tens of thousands of followers by posting videos about his migration to the United States.
As Wu continued to scroll through her social media feeds, she came across “Baozai,” who offered guidance on essential items to pack, such as Crocs and hiking boots, as well as advice on finding and paying for a reliable local guide. Wu and her five-year-old daughter eventually made it to the US-Mexico border, where they were apprehended by US Border Patrol.
US-Mexico Border
The trend is not limited to Wu’s story alone. Reuters witnessed hundreds of Chinese migrants crossing into the United States and interviewed over two dozen migrants in Mandarin, all of whom got the idea to take the land route to the United States on social media. Some migrants wore crosses and carried Chinese-language Bibles, saying they were Christians who felt they could not freely practice their religion at home.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington claimed that the government opposes illegal migration, while the State Department stated that 2021 and 2022 were not standard years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges, some Chinese nationals, like Wu, did not wait for the visa process to unfold. Instead, they turned to social media for guidance, drawing on influencers, private groups, and comments to plan their trips.
The journey is not without its risks, with many migrants facing language barriers, grueling conditions, and the danger of exploitation by smugglers. According to Carlos, a Colombian guide who charges around $1,230 per adult and $700 per child for a guided trek across the Darien Gap, some small business owners in China are indeed seeking a path out of their economically troubled homeland.
As tensions simmer at the US-Mexico border, the Department of Homeland Security has launched social media campaigns to combat smugglers’ access to potential migrants. However, social media’s influence continues to shape the narrative, with influencers like “Baozai” and others spreading word of mouth, providing guidance on essential items to pack, and offering advice on finding and paying for a reliable local guide.
For Wu, the decision to leave China solidified during a COVID-related lockdown, which devastated her online makeup wholesaling business. Initially, she thought about getting a US tourist visa and overstaying, but a travel agent advised her that she was unlikely to get a visa as a single mother. With her business collapsed and sales slumping from around six million yuan to one million yuan, Wu knew she had to find a new path.
