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supermechace t1_iri7wqe wrote

Reply to comment by adft23 in China has secret station in NYC as part of network to track dissidents by solo-ran

I think it's like the old stories of a private investigator firm in another country. I think I read that in the US the FBI monitors them but unless they break any US laws or the people they're persecuting file charges they can't do anything.

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MaxiqueBDE t1_iriav7z wrote

Enforcing foreign laws on US persons on US soil violates US sovereignty and breaks several laws. Simply operating in US as a foreign agent without declaring being a foreign agent is illegal.

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[deleted] t1_iridi1q wrote

"We don't work for the Chinese government... we are simply patriots who convince criminals to return home to face punishment"

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Law-of-Poe t1_irifzkk wrote

>convince

That’s probably the key word from a legal standpoint. I doubt these people arrest or detail anyone. They probably use vague and plausibly deniable threats to get dissidents to return for punishment

On top of that, everything they say is probably monitored by US intelligence so it’s mutually beneficial to let them go on

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AtlasNBA t1_irivllw wrote

A lot of times, families back home in China are threatened in such a way it coerces the individuals abroad to return back there.

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PKMKII t1_iris5j6 wrote

It’s more accurately described as targeted propaganda. Calling it secret police speaks more to this “watchdog’s” funding strategy than a sober assessment of the situation.

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ViennettaLurker t1_iripfev wrote

> On top of that, everything they say is probably monitored by US intelligence so it’s mutually beneficial to let them go on

This. And if they're not being monitored, we have much bigger problems.

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2chicks1bed t1_irj5zji wrote

Yeah , like , “I’m trying to convince you to go back home as the government over there says if you do not return they will make your family pay”. That’s convincing enough for most anyone with a heart and love for there family.

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supermechace t1_irih677 wrote

They're not enforcing foreign laws on us soil they convince people to return to China where they then can enforce laws. It's like the spy movies unless they're caught doing something illegal in their cover, cant arbitrarily detain or arrest people.

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MaxiqueBDE t1_irihnza wrote

…while operating as an undeclared agent of a foreign government.

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supermechace t1_irji3lz wrote

They're probably working for a company not directly for the government. All countries have companies operating in other countries that are basically serving their home country's interests, plausible deniability. Pretty common plot element in spy movies

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MaxiqueBDE t1_irjikm1 wrote

I’m sure that defense will hold on court. s/

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supermechace t1_irjle1o wrote

Correct there's no violations of any US laws hence there's no grounds for charges so they can continue to operate. As you can see from the articles they're operating in broad daylight and have been careful.

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