Rep. Strong’s bill creating DHS task force to track CCP-affiliated Chinese nationals advances committee

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong is continuing to push for increased accountability from the Chinese Communist Party as the foreign power seeks to grow its influence further in the United States and across the globe.

Today, a bill introduced by Strong (R-Monrovia) that will help track foreign nationals and hold the Chinese government to account advanced unanimously out of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

The Strategic Homeland Intelligence and Enforcement Legislation to Defend Against CCP Act, first introduced last week, would establish a dedicated Department of Homeland Security working group to counter threats from China and, specifically, would require the group to examine, assess, and report on the spectrum of nontraditional tactics employed by the government of China and the efforts of DHS to counter these activities.

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“The Chinese Communist Party works strategically to undermine our nation’s sovereignty. The Biden-Harris Administration’s policies embolden our adversaries and allow for record numbers of unvetted foreign nationals into the United States, including Chinese nationals,” said Strong. “As China becomes bolder in its tactics to be the top global superpower, the Department of Homeland Security must do more to combat these complex threats both at home and abroad.”

“Establishing a working group and imposing strict reporting requirements is the first step toward stopping the CCP in its tracks and making America safer for future generations.”

According to Strong, DHS has previously acknowledged that certain Chinese nationals “exploit our lawful immigration and travel systems to collect intelligence, steal intellectual property, and harass dissidents.”

Per U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, apprehensions of Chinese foreign nationals nationwide have increased from 342 in Fiscal Year 2021, to over 35,000 in Fiscal Year 2024, to date.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten