Guan Heng, a 37-year-old citizen-journalist, photographed alleged Uyghur detention camps in Xinjiang and provided the images to BuzzFeed News. Fearing persecution, he fled China in 2021, reached the U.S., applied for asylum and has been living in New York with a work permit. ICE detained him in August after he admitted an initial illegal entry and is seeking deportation — a move critics say could return him to grave danger.
Guan Heng Exposed China's Uyghur Camps — Now ICE Seeks to Deport Him
Illustration: Adani Samat Photo: guanguanofficial/Youtube
Guan Heng, a 37-year-old citizen-journalist and former resident of China, risked his life to document alleged human-rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. After downloading satellite coordinates tied to reported detention sites, he entered the region, photographed the compounds and passed the images to BuzzFeed News, which published a revealing series about the internment of ethnic and religious minorities.
Understanding the danger he faced if Chinese authorities discovered his work — arrest, interrogation, torture or worse — Heng fled China in 2021. His escape routed through Ecuador and eventually by boat to the United States. Upon arrival he applied for asylum, received a work permit and has been living quietly in New York while supporting himself as an Uber driver and food-delivery courier.
In August, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Heng after he acknowledged initially entering the country unlawfully. ICE is now seeking his deportation — either directly to China or to Uganda, a transfer destination that could lead to his return to Chinese custody.
Why Deportation Would Be Dangerous
Deporting Heng would likely expose him to serious harm. Given his documented reporting on sensitive state actions, sending him back to China — or to a country from which he could be returned to China — would pose substantial risks to his safety and liberty. Many supporters, including journalists and some members of Congress, argue that his evidence and personal risk make him a particularly strong candidate for asylum.
“It's hard to imagine a stronger case for asylum.” — The Wall Street Journal
Broader Implications
Heng’s case raises a broader question about how democracies should treat whistleblowers and independent journalists who expose abuses by authoritarian regimes. Advocates say the United States should avoid acting as an enforcement arm for foreign governments and should consider policies that protect and encourage cooperation from defectors, scientists, and citizen-journalists with credible information about human-rights violations or other matters of public concern.
What Comes Next
Members of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee have signaled interest in Heng’s case. Supporters hope that congressional attention and public scrutiny will prevent his deportation and ensure a thorough, fair asylum review. Observers on both sides of the aisle who oppose Beijing’s authoritarian tactics have an opportunity to make this a bipartisan issue of human-rights protection.
Key facts: Heng documented alleged detention camps in Xinjiang and shared the evidence with BuzzFeed News; he fled China in 2021 and has since lived and worked in New York under a work permit; ICE detained him after he admitted an initial illegal entry and is seeking deportation, a move critics warn could return him to danger.
