Fei Zheng and his 6-year-old son, Yuanxin, who had been separated after Zheng’s detention in New York, were deported to China and arrived Friday night, an advocate confirmed. DHS says the family received a lawful order of removal and accused Zheng of refusing to board and endangering the child, while advocates say he complied so he could be reunited with his son. The case sparked a protest in Astoria, Queens, where more than 200 community members rallied against ICE and family separations.
Chinese Father and 6-Year-Old Son Deported to China After Weeks Apart in New York
Yuanxin Zheng. (Courtesy of Zheng family)
Fei Zheng and his 6-year-old son, Yuanxin, were deported to China and arrived Friday night, an advocate who worked with the family confirmed.
What Happened
Jennie Spector, a community activist who stayed in contact with Zheng before and during his detention, said she confirmed the father and son’s arrival with a friend of Zheng’s in China. Spector previously told NBC News that both Zheng and his son were detained during a routine check-in at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices in New York City on Nov. 26. According to Spector, that detention was Zheng’s third since he crossed into the United States from the Mexican border with his son in April.
Zheng was held in immigration custody at the Orange County Correctional Facility, while his son was placed with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which cares for unaccompanied immigrant children, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Official Statement
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told The New York Times by email that the agency 'was able to remove the family back to their home country' and that 'ICE does not separate families.' McLaughlin said Zheng and his son 'were given a lawful order of removal as a family unit' and accused Zheng of refusing to board a plane, acting disruptively and endangering the child. She added that he attempted to escape and that refusing a judge’s deportation order is a crime. DHS did not respond to some questions from NBC News about the deportation.
Fei Zheng and his son, Yuanxin. (Courtesy of Zheng family)
Advocates And Community Reaction
Advocates involved with the family said Zheng had expressed fear about returning to China, though Spector did not share specifics about the dangers he cited. Spector told NBC News that while Zheng was separated from his child in detention, he chose to stop fighting his immigration case and comply with a removal order so he could be reunited with his son.
It’s very sad, Spector said. Both he and his son had a lot to offer. They were intelligent and would have contributed to the community, and instead were treated as criminals.
Their case prompted a protest in Astoria, Queens. Devora Fein, a leader with the western Queens chapter of Indivisible, said more than 200 people — many from the boy’s school community — turned out in opposition to ICE and family separations. Protesters carried signs reading, among other messages, 'Kids Aren’t Pawns' and 'Kids Belong In School Not In Detention.' Spector said the father and son had no other family in New York.
Context
The incident has renewed debate over U.S. immigration enforcement and how agencies handle families in custody. Officials maintain that families may be removed together and that children may be placed with a safe adult designated by a parent if the parent does not depart with them; advocates say the separations and the resulting hardship on children and families raise serious humanitarian concerns.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com and has been edited for clarity and flow.
