Aderholt Sponsors Legislation to Expel Chinese Police Operatives from the U.S.

Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL-04) has announced his support as an original cosponsor of legislation introduced by Representatives Ashley Hinson (IA-02) and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) aimed at expelling illegal Chinese Communist Party (CCP) police outposts operating within the United States. This bill is a direct response to alarming reports that China has been running secret police stations on American soil, intimidating and harassing dissidents and critics of the Chinese government.

Rep. Aderholt is an original sponsor of the bill, along with Reps. Troy Balderson (R-OH), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Stephanie Bice (R-OK), and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ). The bill is co-led by Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI). 

The Expel Illegal Chinese Police Act will, if passed, impose sanctions, asset freezes, and visa restrictions on the operators of American-based Chinese police stations. It will also target those persons operating at the direction of the United Front Work Department (UFWD). The UFWD, or just “United Front” is a division of the CCP that has been called China’s “magic weapon” to spread influence and control both within China and globally, using tools such as coercion and harassment.

“This legislation is critical to protecting American sovereignty and ensuring the safety of those who have fled the oppression of the Chinese Communist Party,” said Congressman Aderholt. “The presence of these illegal police outposts is not only an egregious violation of our laws but also a blatant attempt by the CCP to extend its authoritarian reach beyond its borders. The United States must act swiftly to shut them down and expel any foreign operatives engaging in such activities.”

The bill seeks to give law enforcement the necessary tools to identify, investigate, and expel Chinese police operatives acting outside of official diplomatic channels. The legislation would also impose penalties on individuals and entities found to be facilitating these covert operations.

"The Chinese Communist Party should have never been able to operate police stations in the U.S. to surveil American citizens and harass Chinese citizens who have fled the Communist regime,” Rep. Hinson said. We should find, prosecute, and sanction any Chinese Communist Party official involved in standing up police stations on U.S. soil. Senator Tom Cotton and I are working to end these illegal intimidation tactics that undermine U.S. sovereignty and finally hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for such egregious violations.”

Senator Tom Cotton, who is sponsoring a companion bill in the Senate, said, “No foreign government has the right to operate secret police stations on American soil. The Chinese Communist Party’s actions undermine international norms and human rights by circumventing legal extradition processes and engaging in intimidation tactics. This legislation sends a clear message: the United States will never tolerate illegal operations that violate our sovereignty and intimidate individuals living within our borders.”

Reports from human rights organizations and intelligence agencies have confirmed the existence of these unauthorized CCP-linked police stations in multiple countries, including the United States. Their primary function appears to be monitoring and intimidating members of the Chinese diaspora, particularly those who speak out against the Chinese government.

“The United States must remain vigilant against foreign interference in our communities,” Aderholt continued. “I am proud to stand with my colleagues in supporting this crucial bill, and I urge swift congressional action to ensure our laws are enforced and our citizens are protected.”