Detroit City Wire

Steve Cortes, president of the League of American Workers, has commented on the recent arrests of Chinese scholars accused of smuggling biological materials into the United States. He said that these arrests demonstrate the Trump Administration's determination to address what he describes as a "Chinese Communist threat." This statement was made to Detroit City Wire.

"These arrests prove the Trump Administration was serious about confronting the Chinese Communist threat head-on," said Cortes. "Protecting our homeland isn't theory, it's enforcement. National security starts with secure borders, honest institutions, and the courage to call our adversaries what they are."

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan has announced charges against three Chinese nationals affiliated with the University of Michigan. They are accused of conspiring to smuggle biological materials into the United States and making false statements to federal agents. Attorney General Pamela Bondi remarked, "Allegedly attempting to smuggle biological materials under the guise of ‘research’ is a serious crime that threatens America’s national and agricultural security."

According to the Department of Justice, Xu Bai, 28, Fengfan Zhang, 27, and Zhiyong Zhang, 30, were research scholars at a University of Michigan laboratory led by Xianzhong Xu. Federal investigators allege they received concealed biological materials from Chengxuan Han in China. Han had previously pleaded no contest to smuggling charges and was removed from the United States.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence reported in its 2025 Annual Threat Assessment that "China’s government and affiliated entities persistently seek to acquire sensitive U.S. research and technology, often through academic and scientific exchanges." The assessment underscores ongoing efforts by Beijing to exploit open research systems for strategic gain.

C-SPAN identifies Steve Cortes as both the founder and president of the League of American Workers and a former Trump campaign adviser. In a Washington Journal segment, C-SPAN notes his appearance discussing campaign and voter dynamics.