HONG KONG (AP) — Weeping Chinese immigrants called the Hong Kong government heartless Thursday for raiding their homes and taking away their relatives in a crackdown on illegal immigrants.
"My daughter was stolen away from me — she was snatched from me," said Wong Kam-chu, who recalled arriving at her home Wednesday morning to find six officials inside removing her 41-year-old daughter, Cheng Lai-chi, to deport her.
"They didn't even let her change her clothes or get her stuff," Wong said, sobbing as she spoke over the telephone to an Associated Press reporter. "She was crying and I was crying. She said, 'Mom, they won't let me stay.' "
The searches of people's apartments on Wednesday netted seven arrests and was Hong Kong's most forceful action yet as authorities seek to remove more than 4,000 mainlanders who defied orders to leave by March 31.
They are children of Chinese who came to Hong Kong years ago to find work and obtained residency. Sons and daughters who arrived later were often turned away, so many came on visitor visas and simply stayed.
Although many are now adults, it is common in Chinese culture for people to live with their families well into adulthood. The mainlanders say Hong Kong is violating their human rights by splitting families.
On Thursday, several dozen supporters of the mainlanders turned out to protest peacefully near Hong Kong government offices on Thursday.
Sam Cheung, 66, said he would rather die than see his son and daughter removed.
"If they go and arrest people again there's bound to be trouble," Cheung said. "There will be deaths and the government will be solely responsible."
Although Hong Kong was returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, it is governed separately and strict border controls remain.
Hong Kong officials say they must keep immigration from China under control by deporting the mainlanders who have exhausted all of their legal appeals to stay. But there were no new raids on Thursday, Security Bureau spokeswoman Patricia Mok said.
Hong Kong's top court ruled in January that the migrants could be deported. Hong Kong's Immigration Department said that as of early Wednesday, 183 people had been removed since the March 31 deadline.
Another woman, who identified herself only as Mrs. Wu, complained that the authorities not only took away her 21-year-old son, but also arrested her husband for aiding and abetting — by harboring the young man in their home.
"I'm so confused I really don't know what I can do now — he is the only child I have," Wu said, crying over the phone.
Wu's husband, 63-year-old Wu Sai-tung, was released Wednesday but ordered to appear before authorities May 22 to learn if he will be charged with any crimes.