Families of Two Americans Jailed in China Urge Trump to Seek Release During Xi Summit
Two American prisoners, Dawn Michelle Hunt and Nelson Wells Jr., are incarcerated in China on drug charges; their families urge President Donald Trump for intervention during the upcoming meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
BEIJING: The families of two Americans imprisoned in China for over a decade are advocating for President Donald Trump to push for their release during his upcoming summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Dawn Michelle Hunt, 54, from the Chicago area and Nelson Wells Jr., 52, from Louisiana, were convicted on drug charges following what their families describe as separate 'blind mule' scams where they were unwittingly used to transport narcotics.The cases have gained momentum after both families testified at a Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing in September, drawing attention to the plight of Americans imprisoned in China.
Both Dawn Michelle Hunt and Nelson Wells are reported to be in deteriorating health; Hunt suffers from serious medical conditions and lacks trust in prison doctors, while Wells experiences severe seizures, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other complications.The families' requests for a humanitarian release come as both the US and Chinese governments consider the broader implications of the relationship.
The White House views releasing the two Americans as a potential diplomatic gesture that could yield goodwill with President Trump, who has presented himself as an advocate for bringing Americans home.
For China, granting the release would offer a low-cost diplomatic concession at a sensitive time in bilateral relations.Advocates working on behalf of the prisoners say that the US State Department has formally requested their release on humanitarian grounds and that Chinese officials have indicated a willingness to consider such appeals if they originate from senior levels.
However, specific details regarding these discussions remain confidential due to privacy considerations.The push for Hunt's and Wells' release is not without personal tolls; both families have experienced significant hardship.
Tim Hunt, Dawn Michelle's brother, lost his father in January who had been unable to see his daughter freed.
Nelson Wells Sr., a US Army veteran whose wife worked for the Department of Defense, expressed the emotional weight carried by families with imprisoned loved ones: "We are common people.
We cry every night.
Our loved ones never leave our minds".
Dawn Michelle Hunt, 54, from the Chicago area and Nelson Wells Jr., 52, from Louisiana, were convicted on drug charges following what their families describe as separate 'blind mule' scams where they were unwittingly used to transport narcotics.The cases have gained momentum after both families testified at a Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing in September, drawing attention to the plight of Americans imprisoned in China.
Both Dawn Michelle Hunt and Nelson Wells are reported to be in deteriorating health; Hunt suffers from serious medical conditions and lacks trust in prison doctors, while Wells experiences severe seizures, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other complications.The families' requests for a humanitarian release come as both the US and Chinese governments consider the broader implications of the relationship.
The White House views releasing the two Americans as a potential diplomatic gesture that could yield goodwill with President Trump, who has presented himself as an advocate for bringing Americans home.
For China, granting the release would offer a low-cost diplomatic concession at a sensitive time in bilateral relations.Advocates working on behalf of the prisoners say that the US State Department has formally requested their release on humanitarian grounds and that Chinese officials have indicated a willingness to consider such appeals if they originate from senior levels.
However, specific details regarding these discussions remain confidential due to privacy considerations.The push for Hunt's and Wells' release is not without personal tolls; both families have experienced significant hardship.
Tim Hunt, Dawn Michelle's brother, lost his father in January who had been unable to see his daughter freed.
Nelson Wells Sr., a US Army veteran whose wife worked for the Department of Defense, expressed the emotional weight carried by families with imprisoned loved ones: "We are common people.
We cry every night.
Our loved ones never leave our minds".