Family Urges U.S. Not to Deport Chinese Democracy Activist Li Chengsong to China
An Urgent Appeal from Li Chengsong’s Family: Do Not Deport Him to China
——written by the family of Li Chengsong
——— Li Chengsong (second from left) at the second photo exhibition organized by Women’s Rights in China. (Related article)
We are writing as the family of Li Chengsong, deeply concerned for his safety and his future. We urgently appeal to the U.S. government, international human rights organizations, the legal community, the media, and the public to bring attention to his case.
Our plea is simple: ensure that he receives a fair hearing in his immigration proceedings, release him while his asylum case is pending, and do not deport him to China.
On the morning of August 27, 2026, Li Chengsong, a Christian, democracy activist, human rights defender, and member of the China Democracy Party, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a truck stop in Pennsylvania. He is currently being held at an immigration detention facility in Pennsylvania.
Li grew up attending church with his mother, and his Christian faith has been an enduring part of his life. In 2018, while attending services at Beijing’s Zion Church, he witnessed firsthand the persecution of its congregation. He also experienced harassment from the authorities, including phone calls and visits to his home. Despite this pressure, he remained committed to his faith and to the principles of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law.
For years, Li has spoken out for democracy and religious freedom in China and supported people facing persecution. He repeatedly contacted local government authorities to raise concerns about individuals in detention. He expressed support for Liu Xiaobo online and called for respect for freedom and human rights. He also took part in activities supporting Peking University students and others affected by the July 27 arrests of workers advocating for their rights in Shenzhen.
While living in Beijing, Li participated in pro-democracy activities near the North Fourth Ring Road and elsewhere. Alongside fellow democracy advocates Song Zaimin, Zha Jianguo, and Zhai Yanmin, he worked to draw attention to issues of democracy, human rights, and social justice in China.
After coming to the United States, Li continued this advocacy. He joined the China Democracy Party and took an active role in its activities, both as a participant and an organizer. These included a photo exhibition in Flushing highlighting abuses under Chinese Communist Party rule, rallies outside the White House and the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., and commemorations of the June Fourth Tiananmen Square crackdown. He also volunteered at the June Fourth Memorial Museum and participated in the “Jasmine” demonstrations in New York’s Times Square. Throughout this time, he continued to speak out for persecuted Christians, democracy activists, and other people facing oppression in China.
His record reflects a longstanding commitment to these principles, demonstrated through years of advocacy and action.
As his family, we fear for his safety if he is returned to China. We respectfully ask the U.S. authorities to give full and careful consideration to his personal history, his Christian faith, and his years of involvement in democracy and human rights activism.
We make the following urgent appeals:
1. Release Li Chengsong while his asylum case is pending. We urge the U.S. authorities to handle his case fairly and in accordance with the law, and to release him immediately rather than subject him to prolonged detention while his claim is being considered.
2. Do not deport him to China. We call on the U.S. government to uphold its obligations under international human rights law and applicable U.S. law, protect his life and safety, and safeguard his right to seek asylum.
3. Maintain international attention on his case. We urge United Nations human rights mechanisms, international human rights organizations, and democratic governments to monitor his treatment and the progress of his case, and to speak out in support of his safety and rights.
4. Support his release and access to a fair asylum process. We ask human rights organizations, lawyers, advocates, and concerned members of the public to help secure his release and ensure that his asylum claim is heard through a fair, transparent process consistent with the law.
All we want is for our loved one to be safe, to receive the legal protections he is entitled to, and to be able to live in peace. We fear that returning him to China would expose him to persecution because of his faith, his beliefs, and his years of speaking out for freedom and human rights.
Please help bring attention to Li Chengsong’s case. Please speak up for his safety and his right to a fair hearing.
Above all, please do not send him back to a place where we fear he could face persecution.
Issued by: Zhou Mei, on behalf of Li Chengsong’s family
Contact to sign this appeal: Zhou Mei
Phone: +1 646-631-1668
Date: August 31, 2026
To signal your name to this appeal, please tag me on X：ZhouMei @yinjia761
——edited by Yue Zhang