Chinese migrant to U.S. seeks religious asylum with visas out of reach

Fleeing financial struggles, NYC woman says there was 'nothing holding her back'

20240223N Flushing grocery store

The Flushing neighborhood of Queens, a borough of New York City, is home to a large Chinese community. (Photo by Masahiro Okoshi)

MASAHIRO OKOSHI, Nikkei Washington bureau chief

NEW YORK -- Among the growing ranks of Chinese migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico, some are turning to the asylum system because they are unable to live and work here legally based on their economic struggles alone.

One is a woman from Fujian province who has lived in New York City for the past 10 months. She applied for asylum on religious grounds after converting to Christianity two years earlier.

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