Washington is preparing to impose restrictions on Chinese visas due to the immigrant issue

A senior official in the administration of US President Donald Trump told Reuters that China is delaying the return of its nationals residing in the United States illegally, warning that Washington is preparing to increase travel restrictions on the country unless Beijing backs down from its position.

The latest American threat towards China comes just days before Trump’s scheduled visit to Beijing on May 14 and 15, during which he is expected to address the issue of deportation and other issues in his meetings with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

This visit is important for Trump, who hopes to obtain trade concessions from Beijing that he can present to voters before the midterm congressional elections next November, which opinion polls indicate may result in losses for the Republican Party, to which the president belongs.

Since his return to the White House for his second term, early last year, Trump has threatened to impose customs duties and sanctions on several countries because of their refusal to receive deportees, which is a basic pillar of his presidential election campaign and his hard-line policies on immigration.

For years, China has refused requests from the United States to take back tens of thousands of its citizens who have overstayed their stay or entered the country illegally.

When Trump took office, China indicated its willingness to return “those confirmed to be its citizens” after verifying their identity, but Beijing says that will take time.

A senior American official said that China had reduced its cooperation with the United States during the past six months, after it received about 3,000 deportees on charter and commercial flights in early 2025. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to be able to speak frankly about the US administration’s plans. The official said that China “refuses to fully cooperate with the United States to repatriate its nationals,” and described this as a violation of China’s international obligations and responsibility towards its people.

He added that if China fails to strengthen its cooperation in deportations, the United States may consider increasing the cash bonds (documents proving financial ability) accompanying visa applications, in addition to denying more visas and preventing more entry at the border.

The official pointed out that “the Chinese government’s inaction would threaten the future travel of law-abiding Chinese citizens.”

The Chinese Embassy in Washington has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Beijing had previously expressed its opposition to illegal immigration, describing it as “an international issue that requires the cooperation of countries.”