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Foreign nationals charged amid Trump visa crackdown for scheme to smuggle US military equipment into China
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Two foreign nationals have been charged for their role in a scheme to smuggle U.S. military equipment and technology — including missiles — into China, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
The charges come as President Donald Trump and his administration have launched multiple efforts to beef up the vetting process for foreigners seeking visas in the U.S., particularly those from China.
Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom, were charged with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking, conspiracy, smuggling and violating the Arms Export Control Act, the Justice Department announced Friday.
Prosecutors believe that Cui was working on behalf of the Chinese government, according to court documents.
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China’s DF-41 nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles are seen during a military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)
Court documents allege that Cui, who is based in China, and Miller, who is a permanent resident in the U.S., sought to procure military equipment including missiles, an air defense radar, drones and cryptographic devices starting in November 2023. The two allegedly coordinated with two other individuals, who, unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, were working on behalf of the FBI, on ways to export the cryptographic device to China.
Cui and Miller allegedly discussed how to hide the cryptographic device in a blender, other small electronics or a motor starter — or ship the device to Hong Kong first — to avoid detection. They paid $10,000 as part of a deposit for the cryptographic device, court documents say.
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Additionally, Cui and Miller allegedly recruited two people to help them conduct a scheme that sought to silence an unnamed U.S. citizen from speaking out against Chinese President Xi Jinping’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November 2023, court documents say.
Specifically, both Cui and Miller allegedly orchestrated a plot to surveil the U.S. citizen, install a tracking device on his or her car, slash the car’s tires, and purchase and destroy a pair of statues the U.S. citizen created of Xi and Xi’s wife.
However, the individuals that Cui and Miller allegedly recruited were actually working in coordination with the FBI, according to court documents.
US INVESTIGATING WHETHER CHINESE CITIZEN CHARGED WITH FLYING DRONE OVER BASE COMMITTED ‘MORE SERIOUS OFFENSES’
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement, «The defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime.» (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
«The defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,» Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement Friday. «This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on U.S. soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems.»
Cui and Miller were arrested by Serbian law enforcement officials in April at the request of the U.S. government and are currently detained in Serbia. The Justice Department said it is working with the Serbian government regarding their pending extraditions.
If convicted, Cui and Miller face up to five years in a U.S. prison for conspiracy, up to five years for interstate stalking, up to 10 years for smuggling, and up to 20 years for violating the Arms Export Control Act.
The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the U.S. did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the U.K.’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told Fox News Digital that it is providing consular assistance to Miller following his arrest and «are in touch with the local authorities and his family.»
Separately, the State Department has unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at bolstering the screening process for various visa applicants seeking to come to the U.S. For example, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in May that the agency was planning to «revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications» for those originating from China and Hong Kong.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in May that the agency was planning to «revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications» for those originating from China and Hong Kong. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
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Several House Republicans are pushing Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to go to war with the Senate GOP over an election security bill that has little chance of passing the upper chamber under current circumstances.
House GOP leaders convened a lawmaker-only call on Sunday in the wake of a massive military operation against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel.
After leaders briefed House Republicans on how the chamber would respond to the ongoing conflict — including a vote on ending Democrats’ weeks-long government shutdown targeting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — Fox News Digital was told that several lawmakers raised concerns about the Senate not yet taking up the Safeguarding American Voter Eligiblity (SAVE America) Act. Among other provisions, the act would require voters in federal elections to produce valid ID and proof of citizenship.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., was among those pushing the House to reject any bills from the Senate until the measure was taken up, telling Johnson according to multiple sources on the call, «If we don’t get this done, or at least show that we’ve got some backbone, we’re done. The midterms are over.»
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., pauses for questions from reporters as he arrives for an early closed-door Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
At least three other House Republicans shared similar concerns. Sources on the call said Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, argued that GOP voters were «not enthused» heading into November and that «the single biggest thing» to turn that around would be forcing the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act.
The SAVE America Act passed the House last month with support from all Republicans and just one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas.
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Republicans have pointed out on multiple occasions that voter ID measures have bipartisan support across multiple public polls and surveys. But Democrats have dismissed the legislation as an attempt at voter suppression ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks at a press conference with other members of Senate Republican leadership following a policy luncheon in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 28, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The legislation would require 60 votes in the Senate to break filibuster, which it’s likely not to get given Democrats’ near-uniform opposition. But House Republicans have pressured Senate Majority Leader John Thune to use a mechanism known as a standing filibuster to circumvent that — which Thune has signaled opposition to, given the vast amount of time it would take up in the Senate and potential unintended consequences in the amendment process.
It also comes as Congress grapples with the fallout from the strikes on Iran and the need to ensure safety for the U.S. domestically and for service members abroad, both of which will require close coordination between the two chambers.
Johnson told Republicans several times on the Sunday call that he was privately pressuring Thune on the bill but was wary of creating a public rift with his fellow GOP leader, sources said.
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«If we’re going to go to war against our own party in the Senate, there may be implications to that,» Johnson said at one point, according to people on the call. «So we want to be thoughtful and careful.»
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, talks with a guest during a «Only Citizens Vote Bus Tour» rally in Upper Senate Park to urge Congress to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
At another point in the call, sources said Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., suggested pairing a coming vote on DHS funding with the SAVE America Act in order to force the Senate to take it up.
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But both Johnson and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., were hesitant about such a move given the enhanced threat environment in the wake of the U.S. operation in Iran.
Both spoke out in favor of the SAVE America Act, people told Fox News Digital, but warned the current situation merited leaving the DHS funding bill on its own in a bid to end the partial shutdown, so the department could fully function as a national security shield.
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Tomahawks, B-2 stealth bombers and attack drones pound over 1,000 Iranian targets in 24-hour blitz
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U.S. forces launched a sweeping military assault on Iranian targets on Saturday, unleashing overwhelming air, sea and missile power in a coordinated operation with Israel.
The mission — dubbed «Operation Epic Fury» — began at 1:15 a.m. and struck more than 1,000 sites across Iran within its first 24 hours, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior regime officials were eliminated in the strikes.
The barrage featured B-2 stealth bombers, F-22 and F-16 fighter jets, A-10 attack aircraft, EA-18G electronic warfare planes, and an array of airborne early warning and communications platforms, CENTCOM said.
A U.S. Navy ship launches Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles in support of Operation Epic Fury. (U.S. Central Command Public Affairs)
Missile defense systems, including Patriot interceptors and THAAD anti-ballistic missile defenses, were deployed as part of the operation.
Other assets included RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones, HIMARS rocket systems, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, refueling tankers, and C-17 and C-130 transport aircraft, CENTCOM said.
The command also released images of Tomahawk cruise missiles, as well as F-18 and F-35 fighter jets roaring into combat, according to Reuters.
CENTCOM additionally confirmed it deployed one-way attack drones in combat for the first time.
DOZENS OF TOP IRANIAN REGIME OFFICIALS, SUPREME LEADER KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKES
Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones were also used in the attack. (U.S. Central Command Public Affairs)
The Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System — known as LUCAS — is modeled after Iran’s Shahed drones.
«CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike — for the first time in history — is using one-way attack drones in combat during Operation Epic Fury,» CENTCOM wrote on X. «These low-cost drones, modeled after Iran’s Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution.»
Developed by Arizona-based engineering firm SpektreWorks, the LUCAS drone can be launched from catapults, vehicles or mobile ground platforms, according to Business Insider.
The drones cost roughly $35,000 each, Reuters reported.
KEY MILITARY SITES TARGETED INSIDE IRAN AS PART OF COORDINATED US-ISRAELI STRIKES
A plume of smoke rises after an explosion on Feb. 28, 2026, in Tehran, Iran. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)
The strikes targeted command and control centers, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Joint Headquarters and Aerospace Forces Headquarters, integrated air defense systems, ballistic missile sites, Iranian Navy ships and submarines, anti-ship missile sites and military communications infrastructure, according to CENTCOM.
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Iran retaliated by launching waves of missiles across the Middle East, targeting major U.S. bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, Business Insider reported.
Three U.S. service members were killed and five others were «seriously wounded» as part of Operation Epic Fury, CENTCOM said Sunday morning. The joint military operation is expected to carry on for days.
CENTCOM did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Reuters and Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
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INTERNACIONAL
Un incendio obligó a cerrar un centro de datos de Amazon en Emiratos Árabes Unidos en medio de los ataques iraníes
La unidad de computación en la nube de Amazon, AWS, suspendió este domingo las operaciones en uno de sus centros de datos en Emiratos Árabes Unidos después de que objetos no identificados impactaran la instalación, provocando chispas y un incendio que obligó a cortar el suministro eléctrico, según informó la compañía. El incidente ocurrió en medio de una ola de ataques iraníes con misiles y drones contra infraestructura civil y militar en toda la región del Golfo Pérsico.
Según AWS, los objetos impactaron alrededor de las 4:30 de la madrugada, hora del Pacífico. El departamento de bomberos local cortó la electricidad a la instalación y a los generadores mientras trabajaba para extinguir las llamas. La compañía indicó que esperaba autorización para restablecer el suministro eléctrico y que el restablecimiento de la conectividad en la zona afectada tomaría varias horas. Las demás zonas de disponibilidad en Emiratos operan con normalidad.
Cuando la agencia Reuters preguntó a AWS si el incidente estaba relacionado con los ataques iraníes en curso, la compañía no confirmó ni desmintió ninguna conexión. El Ministerio de Defensa de Emiratos reportó que desde el inicio de los ataques iraníes el pasado sábado, las fuerzas aéreas y de defensa antiaérea del país interceptaron y destruyeron 165 misiles balísticos, dos misiles de crucero y 541 drones. Sin embargo, 21 drones lograron impactar objetivos civiles, causando tres muertes de trabajadores migrantes de Pakistán, Nepal y Bangladés, además de 58 heridos.
Los ataques iraníes contra Emiratos forman parte de una represalia masiva tras operaciones conjuntas de Estados Unidos e Israel que resultaron en la muerte del líder supremo iraní, el ayatolá Ali Khamenei, el pasado sábado. Según medios estatales iraníes, los ataques estadounidenses e israelíes causaron al menos 201 muertes en 24 provincias iraníes, incluyendo 148 niñas en una escuela primaria en la ciudad sureña de Minab.
2026 Planet Labs PBC/Handout vía REUTERS
Las estructuras de AWS conocidas como zonas de disponibilidad están compuestas por uno o más centros de datos físicos interconectados dentro de una región geográfica. Estas zonas funcionan como ubicaciones aisladas diseñadas para garantizar la continuidad del servicio en caso de fallos. La región ME-CENTRAL-1, inaugurada en noviembre de 2022, representa la segunda infraestructura de AWS en Medio Oriente junto con la de Baréin.
El Cuerpo de la Guardia Revolucionaria Islámica de Irán anunció que sus ataques se dirigieron a 27 bases militares donde se despliegan soldados estadounidenses, la base aérea israelí de Tel Nof, el cuartel general del ejército israelí en HaKirya en Tel Aviv y un complejo industrial de defensa. La ofensiva iraní impactó también aeropuertos internacionales en Dubái, Abu Dabi y Kuwait, lo que provocó la suspensión de vuelos y el cierre de espacios aéreos en todo el Golfo Pérsico.
Las autoridades emiratíes activaron protocolos de emergencia en todo el país, emitiendo alertas de alta prioridad a través de teléfonos móviles que instruyeron a la población a buscar refugio inmediato en edificios seguros y mantenerse alejados de ventanas, puertas y áreas abiertas. El Ministerio de Educación ordenó la transición a educación a distancia para todas las escuelas públicas y privadas desde el 2 hasta el 4 de marzo.
La infraestructura de servicios en la nube ha adquirido una importancia estratégica crítica para economías como la de Emiratos, donde sectores financieros, energéticos y de telecomunicaciones dependen de centros de datos para operaciones esenciales. AWS opera miles de servidores en la región ME-CENTRAL-1 que proporcionan servicios a empresas gubernamentales, instituciones financieras y compañías de tecnología en todo Medio Oriente.
Los restos de misiles y drones interceptados cayeron en diversas áreas de Emiratos, causando daños materiales menores en propiedades civiles. En Palm Jumeirah, la isla artificial de Dubái famosa por sus hoteles de lujo, cuatro personas resultaron heridas cuando fragmentos de un misil impactaron un hotel de alta categoría, provocando un incendio. También se reportaron incendios en el puerto de Jebel Ali, uno de los más transitados de Medio Oriente, y en la fachada del icónico hotel Burj Al Arab.
El Ministerio de Defensa de Emiratos confirmó que de los 137 misiles balísticos detectados durante el ataque inicial del sábado, 132 fueron destruidos mientras cinco cayeron al mar. De los 209 drones rastreados, 195 fueron interceptados. Los sistemas de defensa aérea demostraron alta capacidad de respuesta, aunque algunos proyectiles lograron penetrar las defensas y causar daños colaterales.
La escalada regional ha generado disrupciones significativas en el transporte aéreo, con aerolíneas suspendiendo vuelos hacia y desde importantes centros de conexión en Medio Oriente. Mapas de tráfico aéreo mostraron espacios aéreos prácticamente vacíos sobre Irán, Irak, Kuwait, Israel y Baréin tras el inicio de los ataques. Emiratos, que se había posicionado como un refugio de estabilidad y seguridad en una región turbulenta, enfrenta ahora la fragilidad de esa percepción ante una confrontación militar de alcance regional.
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