Task Force Addresses Unlawful Arrivals
September 06, 2022, Hagatna, Guam- Less than four weeks ago, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, in coordination with Attorney General Leevin T. Camacho, created a task force to address the influx of unprocessed travelers arriving by vessel from nearby islands, most of whom are Chinese nationals.
Following a determination by the Attorney General that these arrivals violate Guam law, the task force proceeded to locate, arrest, and charge all known operators of these vessels. A total of nine defendants –Jianfeng Lu, Zhicong Huang, Fu Li, Guo Qin She, Ruigang Li, Xiao Juan Sun, Jian Feng Li, Fujun Zhai, Haize Lu– have appeared before Magistrate Judge Jonathan R. Quan to answer to charges related to violating Guam’s arrival requirements. Some of the defendants were released pending resolution of their criminal charges, subject to conditions, including reporting to probation services.
“This task force owes its success to the vigilance of our people, including our fishing and boating community, who report sightings of suspicious or unknown passenger vessels to local authorities,” said Governor Leon Guerrero. “Our community’s response and the diligent efforts of our law enforcement officers continue to bolster our defense, help keep our borders secure, and enable us to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law. We urge our community, especially those who frequent our coastlines, to keep aware of your surroundings and continue to report suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.”
Attorney General Camacho said, “I want to recognize the officers of Guam Customs and the Guam Police Department for their hard work. In a matter of weeks, the task force has located and arrested nine individuals who unlawfully arrived in Guam.”
The task force includes the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency (CQA), Guam Department of Agriculture, Guam Department of Labor, Guam Fire Department, Guam Homeland Security, the Guam Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), and Port Authority of Guam.
The central goal of the task force was to determine whether the arrival of these travelers, who are not residents of Guam and whose arrivals bypassed immigration and customs requirements for incoming travelers, was consistent with Guam law, and to develop an ongoing strategy to lawfully locate and process these travelers as they arrive in Guam.
Interpreters were provided when officers were interviewing the defendants, ensuring their due process rights were upheld. Funding for interpreter services was provided by the OAG, CQA and HSI.
Under Guam law, unlawful arrival is punishable by up to one year in jail and up to a $2,000 fine. While the authority to remove or deport immigrants rests solely with the federal government, the OAG intends to seek criminal forfeiture of the vessels as authorized by law on behalf of the multi-agency task force created to fight unlawful arrivals into Guam by boat.
Residents who enjoy Guam’s beaches and shores are encouraged to continue to report suspicious activity, to include boat docking and entry, to CQA at 671-642-8071 or 8072 or GPD at 671-475-8615 through 8617.