The Chinese-immigrant parents of two U.S.-born children who attempted to bomb a Florida Air Force base in March were taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.
Qiu Qin Zou and Jia Zhang Zheng, the parents of Ann Mary and Alen Zheng, entered the U.S. and applied for asylum in 1993. A judge denied the claim, and the two were ordered deported in 1998, but they remained in the country for decades. The pair attempted to reopen their case several times, but the Bureau of Immigration Appeals denied all of their requests. Zou and Jia Zhang Zheng were taken into ICE custody following the siblings’ indictment.
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Ann Mary Zheng and Alen Zheng were charged with attempting to plant an improvised explosive device at MacDill Air Force Base in March 2026, with Alen allegedly attempting to detonate the device and Ann Mary accused of assisting after the fact.
Both siblings fled to China after the alleged bombing attempt. Ann Mary was arrested upon returning to the U.S., but prosecutors believe Alen is still in China.
Department of Homeland Security officials said the case highlights national security concerns linked to birthright citizenship and illegal immigration, noting the siblings gained U.S. citizenship by birth despite their parents’ status. The Supreme Court is currently considering the scope of birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment.
