Chinese Man Who Filmed Xinjiang Camps Faces US Deportation to Uganda

Introduction: A Whistleblower's Perilous Journey

Guan Heng, a 38-year-old Chinese national, is currently embroiled in a high-stakes legal battle in the United States, facing potential deportation to Uganda. His predicament stems from his courageous act in 2020, when he secretly filmed alleged 're-education' facilities in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, footage that later provided critical corroboration of human rights abuses. His case has drawn significant attention from human rights organizations, who fear that deportation to Uganda could ultimately lead to his transfer back to China, where he would face severe repercussions.

Filming the Unseen and Seeking Asylum

Intrigued by Western media reports detailing the existence of detention camps in Xinjiang, Guan Heng undertook a perilous journey to document the situation firsthand in 2020. He filmed dozens of hours of footage of what he believed to be detention camps, which Beijing refers to as 'vocational training schools'. Recognizing the immense danger of publishing such material within China, Guan fled the country. His journey to the United States was arduous, involving travel through Central America before he eventually crossed the sea by boat from the Bahamas, arriving in Florida in October 2021 without permission. Upon reaching the U.S., he applied for asylum, hoping to find safety and refuge.

Detention and the Threat of Third-Country Deportation

Despite his asylum application, Guan Heng was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in August 2025, reportedly due to issues with his immigration records. He has since remained in detention in upstate New York. During an immigration hearing held on Monday, December 15, 2025, a lawyer for the Department of Homeland Security argued for Guan's forced deportation to the East African nation of Uganda. This proposal leverages a recent agreement between the U.S. and Uganda to accept deportees from third countries, a policy cleared by the Supreme Court in July.

Human Rights Concerns and China's Shadow

The prospect of Guan's deportation to Uganda has ignited significant alarm among human rights advocates and his legal team. His lawyer, Chen Chuangchuang, and his mother, Luo Yun, have voiced profound fears that Uganda's deepening economic and diplomatic ties with China could lead to Guan's subsequent transfer from Uganda to China. If returned to China, Guan would almost certainly face severe persecution, including potential arrest and a decades-long prison sentence, for his actions in exposing the alleged camps. Human Rights in China, a New York-based advocacy group, has highlighted that Guan's footage provided 'rare visual evidence that corroborated survivor testimonies and investigative reporting on the Chinese government's mass repression campaign.' Meanwhile, China consistently rejects accusations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, maintaining that the facilities are 'vocational training schools' designed to counter extremism and promote economic development. A further hearing in Guan Heng's case is scheduled for January 2026.