Chinese Police Stations In U.S. Face GOP Crackdown

Red Republican elephant sign on U.S. flag.

Republicans in Congress have launched a bill to eliminate unauthorized Chinese Communist Party police stations operating on American soil, as the government moves to counter Beijing’s growing influence operations threatening U.S. sovereignty.

Key Takeaways

Republicans have introduced the Expel Illegal Chinese Police Act of 2025 (H.R.2127) to shut down unauthorized Chinese police stations operating in U.S. cities including New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
The FBI previously raided a secret Chinese police station in Manhattan’s Chinatown in 2022, resulting in arrests of individuals operating as unregistered foreign agents.
China has established at least 102 known or suspected overseas police stations in 53 countries as part of their “Operation Fox Hunt” initiative to monitor and intimidate Chinese nationals abroad.
The legislation would impose sanctions, visa restrictions, and asset freezes on entities and individuals involved in these illegal operations.
Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) are leading the effort which has garnered support from several Republican colleagues.

Unauthorized Chinese Police Presence Discovered in American Cities

The Chinese Communist Party has established a covert network of “police stations” across the United States, with outposts identified in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Houston, and San Francisco. These stations operate outside diplomatic channels and serve as bases for surveillance and intimidation of Chinese expatriates and dissidents. Their existence came to public attention when the FBI raided a secret station in Manhattan’s Chinatown in 2022, marking the first public acknowledgment of such operations on American soil.

The Department of Justice has already taken action against individuals operating these stations, indicting two New York residents for “conspiring to act as agents” of the Chinese government and destroying evidence. In 2023, one individual pleaded guilty to being an unregistered foreign agent in connection with a Chinese police station in New York City. These cases represent just the tip of what intelligence officials believe is a much broader network of Chinese influence operations targeting both Chinese nationals and American citizens.

Republican-Led Legislative Response

The Expel Illegal Chinese Police Act of 2025 (H.R.2127), introduced by Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), aims to eliminate these unauthorized stations through a combination of sanctions, visa restrictions, and enhanced legal mechanisms. The legislation targets Chinese Communist Party officials involved in establishing these operations and strengthens penalties for those affiliated with China’s United Front Work Department who engage in harassment or coercion of U.S. residents.

“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. 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,” Congresswoman Ashley Hinson said.

Original sponsors of the legislation include Representatives Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Stephanie Bice (R-OK), and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ). The bill has gained traction as concerns over Chinese foreign influence operations have increased under the Trump administration, which has prioritized countering perceived threats from Beijing.

China’s Global Influence Operations

The Chinese government launched “Operation Fox Hunt” in 2014, ostensibly to repatriate Chinese fugitives, followed by “Operation Sky Net” in 2015, targeting dissidents accused of financial crimes. These programs have reportedly resulted in around 10,000 Chinese citizens being returned to China since 2014. Human rights monitors have documented that many of these operations involve harassment, intimidation, and even kidnapping of targets abroad, showing Beijing’s disregard for international borders and national sovereignty.

“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,” Senator Tom Cotton said.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen has stated that these operations “go far beyond the bounds of acceptable nation-state conduct.” The global scale of China’s overseas police network includes at least 102 known or suspected stations in 53 countries, representing one of the most ambitious transnational repression campaigns in modern history. These operations typically mask themselves as cultural centers or administrative service offices providing passport renewals and other conveniences for overseas Chinese citizens.

Strengthening National Security Against Foreign Influence

The legislation comes as part of President Trump’s broader push to counter Chinese influence in the United States. Security experts have recommended reinstating the Department of Justice’s China Initiative, which was discontinued under the Biden administration due to alleged “allegations of intolerance and bias.” Supporters of the new legislation argue that strong measures are needed to protect both U.S. citizens and Chinese expatriates living in America from harassment by foreign agents.

“The Select Committee has been at the forefront of exposing and evicting the illegal Chinese police stations that have been operating on American soil. These stations represent a direct threat to our national security and undermine the rule of law in the United States. This legislation is a critical step in safeguarding the freedoms of the American people and ensuring that no foreign government can infringe upon our sovereignty, and I commend Rep. Hinson for her leadership and commitment to holding the Chinese government accountable,” Chairman John Moolenaar said.

The Expel Illegal Chinese Police Act reflects growing bipartisan concern over China’s increasingly assertive posture in international affairs and its willingness to extend its authoritarian reach beyond its borders. As the legislation moves through Congress, supporters hope it will send a clear message that foreign governments cannot operate law enforcement activities on American soil without proper authorization and diplomatic agreements.