Tue Dec 23 03:27:24 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a rewritten news article based on the provided text:

Summary:

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has dropped its deportation plan for Guan Heng, a Chinese national who illegally entered the country. Guan, who secretly filmed detention facilities in Xinjiang and exposed alleged human rights abuses against Uyghurs, faced deportation to Uganda. Rights activists and lawmakers argued that deporting him would put him at risk of persecution by the Chinese government. Public support and pressure from Congress ultimately led to the DHS decision. Guan’s legal team is now working to secure his release from ICE detention on bond.

News Article:

U.S. Drops Deportation Plan for Chinese Whistleblower Who Exposed Xinjiang Abuses

Washington, D.C. – December 23, 2025 – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reversed course and withdrawn its plan to deport Guan Heng, a Chinese national who fled China after documenting alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang. The decision, announced Monday by rights activists, comes after weeks of public outcry and pressure from U.S. lawmakers who argued that Guan would face severe repercussions if returned to China.

Guan, 38, secretly filmed detention facilities in Xinjiang in 2020, providing evidence of what activists describe as the detention of up to a million ethnic minorities, primarily Uyghurs. The Chinese government maintains that the facilities are vocational training centers designed to combat extremism.

After releasing the footage, Guan fled China, eventually reaching Florida in a small boat. He sought asylum in the U.S. but was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in August.

“We’re really happy,” said Zhou Fengsuo, executive director of Human Rights in China, confirming the DHS decision. Rayhan Asat, a human rights lawyer who assisted in the case, stated she expects Guan’s asylum case to “proceed smoothly and favorably.”

The case garnered significant attention after Human Rights in China publicized Guan’s plight. Members of Congress, including Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, top Democrat on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, wrote to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, urging Guan’s release and the approval of his asylum request.

“The U.S. has a moral responsibility to stand up for victims of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, as well as the brave individuals who take immense personal risks to expose these abuses to the world,” Krishnamoorthi wrote.

Guan’s legal team is currently working to secure his release on bond from an ICE detention facility in New York. The DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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