ANN ARBOR, MI – Federal charges filed against three more people in a University of Michigan smuggling case are fueling fire for activists concerned the scrutiny is unfairly persecuting Chinese scholars and exacerbating xenophobia against international students at large.

Linda Wan, a UM alumna and Ann Arbor resident, called all the charges “an incredible waste of time and human resources.”

“Not to mention that my biggest concern is that it really poisons U.S. and American relations,” she said. “And it really destroys the comfort, the feelings of safety that Chinese students and scholars feel when working with, studying with, interaction with American universities. This is a very, very dangerous slippery slope.”

Xu Bai and Fengfan Zhang are each charged with conspiracy to smuggle goods

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