US detains Hong Kongers under DED, forcing departures and ankle shackles
At least 12 Hong Kongers with Deferred Enforced Departure status have been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at US airports, forced to sign voluntary departure documents or face months in jail, and released with electronic ankle shackles. The UK and Canada have also tightened immigr
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained at least 12 Hong Kongers holding Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status at multiple US airports since June, according to reports. Some detainees said ICE officers threatened that if they did not sign “voluntary departure” documents, they would be imprisoned for several months. Although each person was subsequently released with court approval, they must wear electronic ankle shackles, with their personal freedom strictly monitored.
The US Department of Homeland Security responded that DED grants Hong Kongers work authorisation but does not confer legal residency, and authorities can initiate deportation proceedings against DED holders. DED is a “temporary deferral of deportation” under a US presidential executive order, not a formal immigration status. The Biden administration first implemented it for Hong Kongers in 2021, extending it to 5 February 2027 before stepping down.
The incident has triggered panic among Hong Kongers who fled to the US. Some DED holders said ICE officers frequently appear near their residences, so they have not dared to go out for weeks or months, living in constant fear. A University of California, Berkeley research project obtained information through the Freedom of Information Act showing that between 1 January and 6 August this year, 38 Hong Kong people were detained by ICE.
Commentators said anti-China elements who fled after the 2019 black violence believed Western countries would provide a “protective umbrella”. However, over the past six months, the US, UK, and Canada have closed their gates to these “brothers”. The UK’s Labour government has tightened BNO visa policies, rejecting applications from at least 12 Hong Kongers convicted for participating in the 2019 black violence. Canada’s “Lifeboat Scheme” ended on 31 August, with less than 30 per cent of applications approved.
“They have ultimately ended up as abandoned pawns, landing in a situation of being monitored by electronic ankle shackles, not knowing when they will be deported,” one commentator said. The incident reflects that Western countries never treated them as anything more than chess pieces, and now that they have lost their political utility value, they are no longer provided with support.