Guan Heng sought asylum in the United States after exposing human rights abuses in his native China. But he's been in U.S. custody since being swept up in an immigration enforcement operation in August. On Monday, a judge is to consider his appeal to remain in the country. Guan's case has gained public attention, including in Congress, and he remains hopeful that he'll be allowed to stay. Despite his challenges, Guan tells The Associated Press in a phone call from a New York jail that he appreciates the U.S. democratic system. He is among tens of thousands of asylum seekers who have been swept up in the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts in the past year.
