Name: Lawmaker: Investigate US Customs Officer Who Targeted Shen Yun
Uploaded: 2024-08-18T06:25:31.000Z
Description: A U.S. customs officer at a Chicago airport targeted the U.S.-based <a href="https://twitter.com/ShenYun">Shen Yun</a> Performing Arts company with Chinese Communist Party propaganda. The incident is now leading to calls for a thorough investigation into Chinese infiltration into the U.S. government.

Nikou Bani

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the United States and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

Free ‘After School Escape’ in NYC

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

Ceasefire Extension Needed Before Iran Deal Can Be Reached: Middle East Affairs Analyst

Daniel Monaghan is a reporter for NTD News covering culture, social issues, and education. He holds a BA in Political Science and Government.

Daniel Monaghan

White House Week in Review (May 30): Trump Honors America’s Living and Fallen Service Members

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

World News

Asia &amp; Pacific

Hegseth Stresses Need for Defense Burden-Sharing in Indo-Pacific to Check China

Dave Martin is NTD's Senior Sports Reporter and sports analyst. He also hosts "Data Hub" segments during NTD's special election coverage, "The Nation Decides."

Dave Martin

Thunder, Spurs in Game 7 Showdown; Winner Plays Knicks

Jacki Thrapp is an Emmy® Award-winning journalist based in Nashville. She previously worked at The New York Post, Fox News Channel and has written a series of Off-Broadway musicals in NYC. Contact her at jacki.thrapp@epochtimes.us

Jacki Thrapp

International

AUKUS Reveals Project to Develop Underwater Drones by 2027

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

Human Rights Advocates in Canada Protest Chinese Regime's Abuses

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

US News

State News

New Jersey

NJ State Police Set up Protest Zone Outside Immigration Detention Center as ICE Agents Leave

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

Colombia Expected to Vote for Right-Leaning President in Upcoming Elections

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

What the People Say: What Do You Think About 'Trump Accounts'?

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 29)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 28)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 27)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 26)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 25)

Chris Beers is an NTD News anchor and political correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Chris co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Chris Beers

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 24)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 23)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 22)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 21)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 20)

California

More Than 17,000 Under Evacuation Orders as Southern California Wildfire Threatens Homes

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Rudy Blalock is a Southern California-based daily news reporter for NTD. Originally from Michigan, he moved to California in 2017 and the sunshine and ocean have kept him here since. In his free time, he may be found underwater scuba diving, on top of a mountain hiking or snowboarding, or at home meditating—which helps fuel his active lifestyle.

Rudy Blalock

40,000 Ordered to Evacuate as Chemical Tank Leaks, Threatens Explosion in California

Video of US Fighter Jet Shooting Down UFO Over Lake Huron Emerges in New Pentagon Files

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Government Sues Chick-fil-A Over Religious Rights

Sports News

Kyle Busch, Two-Time NASCAR Champion, Dies at 41

Health News

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

Haika Mrema

Medical Plane Crash in New Mexico Mountains Kills 4, Sparks Wildfire

California Mayor Resigns, Will Plead Guilty to Acting as Chinese Agent

A U.S. customs officer at a Chicago airport targeted the U.S.-based <a href="https://twitter.com/ShenYun">Shen Yun</a> Performing Arts company with Chinese Communist Party propaganda. The incident is now leading to calls for a thorough investigation into Chinese infiltration into the U.S. government.

On Monday at the O'Hare International Airport, performers of Shen Yun were coming back from a successful performance tour in Europe. But when they were going through customs, an officer with a Chinese accent targeted the performers with the same hate propaganda that the Chinese Communist Party would use to target religious believers.

"It just sounded like he was trying to put words into my mouth, like 'Are you being sponsored by Falun Gong?'" said Teresa Du, the tour manager for the company. "So I just said, 'I don't think I have to answer that question.'"

"Because we escaped from China, but this feels like as if we were being talked to by [the] Chinese government," she added. "This is the U.S. I'm coming home. And this is something that should never happen in the U.S."

Many of Shen Yun's performers practice Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline severely persecuted in communist China. The officer allegedly also told other officers that Shen Yun dancers were illegal because of their faith—despite all of the performers holding either U.S. citizenship or legal visas.

In a statement, a CBP spokesperson said, "CBP strictly prohibits profiling on the basis of race or religion," and that it "does not tolerate actions that are inconsistent with our core values."

Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas) called for a thorough investigation, saying in a statement, "We should never allow the PRC, one of the most repressive countries on the planet to have influence over our federal government."

An immigration lawyer told NTD that the U.S. government needs to strengthen the background checks of its officers.

"You can imagine lots of examples where the government of China would do well for itself to plant people within the U.S. government—asylum officers, [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] officers, any position within the government," said Jason Dzubow.

"The Falun Gong is one group that certainly has been targeted over the years within the United States. And it's important for the U.S. government to be aware about that and to try to actively prevent such threats."

Just last year, the FBI arrested two suspected Chinese agents and charged them with attempting to bribe a public official in a scheme targeting Falun Gong in the United States.

Latest

China News

SHEN YUN

Videos

Politics

04_Top Stories

Shen Yun News

Shen Yun

Latest Clips

Management

Iris Tao is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. Prior to her work at the White House, Iris reported on U.S. politics and U.S.–China relations from NTD’s New York headquarters. She holds degrees in journalism and economics from Boston University.

Iris Tao

02_Second Lead

Congress

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.