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Bongino gives a terrifying update on protecting the homeland

November 7, 2025 | | Print Article

FBI deputy director Dan Bongino shared a terrifying update online of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to protect the homeland.

“THREE research scholars from China – Xu Bai, Fergfan Zhang, and Zhiyong Zhang – have been charged with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the United States and for making false statements to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers,” Bongino posted on X.

“These are the latest charges in a string of cases stemming from Chinese National students’ criminal activities at university research centers,” he explained. “FBI Counterintelligence will NOT tolerate any attempt to exploit American institutions to break the law, and we remain dedicated to protecting our communities and our educational institutions from threats like these.”

Bongino went on to explain that the FBI “leads the National Counterintelligence Task Force (NCITF) which has 55 federal and 143 state and local partners, with a counterintelligence task force (CITF) in every FBI field office.”

“The NCITF launched a nationwide initiative to crack down on bio-smuggling, and CITF members @FBIDetroit, @HSI_HQ, and @CBP worked together to investigate this case,” he added.

The three suspects had J-1 visas and were conducting research at the UM laboratory of Xianzhong Xu, commonly referred to as the Shawn Xu laboratory, according to the DOJ.

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Attorney General Pamela Bondi released a statement on what she called a “serious crime” that threatens the homeland.

“Allegedly attempting to smuggle biological materials under the guise of ‘research’ is a serious crime that threatens America’s national and agricultural security,” Bondi declared. “We will remain vigilant to threats like these from foreign nationals who would take advantage of America’s generosity to advance a malicious agenda.”

“At some point, pattern becomes practice. And, apparently, these three men are part of a long and alarming pattern of criminal activities committed by Chinese Nationals under the cover of the University of Michigan. This is a threat to our collective security. We are thankful for the vigilance of our elite federal partners—ICE HSI, FBI, and CBP—as a counterweight against this threat,” U.S. Attorney Gorgon added.

Here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story, as seen on X:

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Tom Tillison
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