Chinese citizens are being told not to travel to the United States through the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a statement on ‘X’ about the warning.
Reuters translated the notice, which said that 20 Chinese scholars were denied entry on their way to an academic conference. It goes on to state that the scholars all had valid visas and were subjected to ‘unreasonable questioning’ by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers at Sea-Tac.
KIRO 7 News has reached out to both the airport and Border Patrol about the allegations.
The Port of Seattle sent the following statement:
“The Port of Seattle, which owns and operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), reaffirms its commitment to being a welcoming gateway for people and commerce.
As a public-use airport subject to federal regulation, the Port does not have control over operations or entry requirements for arriving international passengers. This process is exclusively controlled by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
We expect that all arriving passengers to SEA are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness in line with our Welcoming Port Policy.“
Border Patrol has not yet responded.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised citizens to “strengthen safety awareness, avoid entering through this airport, according to Reuters’ translation.
The ministry asked its citizens to respond calmly and rationally if U.S. law enforcement officers question them while traveling.
