Dakota Beacon

How popular are the anti–Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests in the US?

A leading China analyst, Gordon Chang, warns that the increasing surge of protests across the US may not be as home grown as they appear. He alleges that networks tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are covertly financing and directing the unrest.

Appearing January 19 on Newsmax’s Newsline, Chang said the CCP has a well-documented history of using proxies to destabilize adversaries, including the US, while maintaining plausible deniability.

Chang alludes to “agit‑prop”, a term short for agitation and propaganda. The term originated in the early Soviet Union where the Communist Party used it to describe a department responsible for shaping public opinion through messaging, education, and cultural activity. Agit-prop combines emotional appeal (agitation) with ideological instruction (propaganda). The goal is to influence attitudes or encourage political action or both.

There is nothing new under the sun. Chang argued these tactics are playing out on American streets today. So, how does agit-prop work today? Beijing increasingly relies on third-party actors to funnel money and amplify messaging aligned with CCP strategic interests. On Newsline, Chang said the same playbook seems to be appearing in the United States.

CCP ties to US interest groups revels the “how” and “why” of the tactic. An alleged conduit for influence runs through Neville Roy Singham, an American tech billionaire and businessman living in Shanghai. He has drawn scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers for ties to organizations linked to the Chinese state. In 2017 Singham married Jodi Evans, co-founder of CODE PINK, a far-left activist organization that has been highly visible in protests opposing US foreign and immigration policy.

Chang alleged that Singham functions as part of a broader influence operation that blends financial backing with coordinated propaganda amplification. He said this activity aligns closely with CCP objectives. More about Singham in a moment.

Anti-ICE protests have intensified in recent weeks. Anger was driven by accentuated immigration enforcement and several high-profile confrontations between demonstrators and federal authorities. The most significant flashpoint has been Minnesota where protest in Minneapolis and St. Paul have turned confrontational. Chang argues that the organization, tactics, and messaging in these confrontations bear clear similarities to the unrest that followed George Floyd’s death. This suggests that proven activist networks are being “replayed and repurposed”.

Chang urged U.S. officials to take allegations seriously and dismantle what he described as CCP-linked funding and propaganda networks running domestically. While Beijing has repeatedly denied interfering in US internal affairs, Chang warned that ignoring recurring patterns could leave the country vulnerable to sustained foreign manipulation.

Singham, the American tech mogul mentioned above, funds an elaborate Chinese propaganda network. His office in Shanghai has a purpose -- "whose goal is to educate foreigners about 'the miracles that China has created on the world stage'." To this goal Singham has given nearly $1.8 million in funding.

He has also donated extensively to progressive lawmakers including Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Rep Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Barbara Lee (Democrat mayor of Oakland, CA running to replace retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). These same people have opposed policies to scrutinize the CCP – surprise, surprise.

Singham is a socialist supporter of far-left causes and an admirer of Maoism according to 5/8/23 The New York Times coverage. He provided funds to media outlets, organizations, and politicians around the world that promoted pro-Chinese government propaganda. While Singham denies that he works at the bidding of the CCP, his spending generates concern about the CCP’s secret support for left-wing activist groups.

In August 2023, The New York Times reported that Singham works closely with the Chinese government and state media donating to various groups, news organizations, and entities through non-profit groups and shell companies which spread pro-Chinese government messages. Non-profit entities distributing funds include, but are not limited to, the United Community Fund, Justice and Education Fund, and People's Support Foundation. They have addresses at UPS store mailboxes in Illinois, Wisconsin, and New York, and are headed by (wait for it) Jodie Evans (founder of CODE PINK and wife of Neville Singham).

Following the August 2023 New York Times report, then-US senator Marco Rubio asked the United States Department of Justice to open an investigation into entities related to Singham for potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

In a word, the anti--ICE protests, together with other disruptions across the US, do not hurt monetarily for training, organizing, communicating, and logistical support. Their coordinated (and possibly illegal) efforts further the demise of the American Republic as we know it to be replaced with a top-down authoritarian socialist system.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).