US drops plan to deport Chinese man who helped expose abuse of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, say activists

Decision comes amid growing public support for Guan Heng - who secretly filmed detention facilities in China - after he illegally entered US by boat

The Department of Homeland Security has dropped its plan to deport a Chinese national who entered the country illegally, two rights activists have said, after his plight raised public concerns that if deported the man would be punished by Beijing for helping expose human rights abuses in China's Xinjiang region.

Rayhan Asat, a human rights lawyer who assisted in the case, said Guan Heng's lawyer received a letter from the department stating its decision to withdraw its request to send Guan to Uganda. Asat said she now expected Guan's asylum case to proceed smoothly and favourably".