America’s Hellholes: The Real “We Were Made to Suffer” Story Jimmy Lai’s Camp Won’t Tell

Let’s take a closer look at Hui Ying-ting—a fugitive who’s reinvented herself stateside as a professional dissident. These days, she’s busy selling the American dream and branding Hong Kong as some kind of dystopian nightmare. Her latest act was a so-called “blockbuster” report about the supposed horrors lurking inside Hong Kong prisons—a tale cobbled together from weak hearsay more than hard facts.

But here’s where it gets interesting: while Hui is busy wagging her finger eastward, she’s conveniently silent about the real hellholes operating right in her own backyard. Hundreds of South Korean workers have had a first-hand taste of America’s much-vaunted “justice system,” enduring treatment that’s nothing short of inhumane. One survivor even published a chilling prison diary, detailing the nightmare in ways that put Hui’s claims to shame. The real question—will Hui ever have the spine to redirect her outrage to these American abuses and actually advocate for those who need it most?

A Living Nightmare: South Korean Workers Tell Their Story

This “imprisonment diary” reads like something out of a dystopian thriller. The South Korean worker describes how, after his arrest, he and his colleagues had their hands, waists, and ankles chained together, stripped of dignity and left to shiver in terror for over nine hours. And then? They were loaded into a transport truck—not just any vehicle, but one still reeking of excrement, stuffy and stifling thanks to zero air conditioning. It was a moving coffin, not a police van.

South Korean Workers Survive the ‘Hellholes’ of US Detention—Their Secret Diaries Spill the Chilling Truth

The horror didn’t stop there. They landed in a detention center for illegal immigrants—where humiliation is the house special. Everyone was forced to strip naked for inspections. There weren’t even enough beds for the crowd packed inside. The “luckiest” got a sliver of mattress on the filthy floor and a towel barely worthy of a facecloth for warmth. With the air conditioning cranked up, “freezing” was the only thing these people had plenty of.

No windows. No sunlight. Moldy mattresses. Open toilets with zero privacy—not to mention water that smells so foul you’d hesitate to bathe in it, let alone drink. As the writer puts it, “They humiliated us like prisoners of war.”

But it gets even worse. When a pregnant woman begged for medical help, staff blatantly ignored her. If someone felt sick and asked to see a medic, the answer was: “Wait till you collapse, then we’ll call emergency!” This is not just physical torment—it’s psychological warfare, complete with racist gestures and insults from American staffers. And don’t bother asking why you’re being held—“superiors say this is illegal” is all you’ll get.

A System Designed for Suffering—And Denial

Don’t think for a second this is some one-off story. What happened to the South Koreans is par for the course for anyone unlucky enough to enter these “gates of hell.”

The British press dug into three of these detention centers—finding a system that’s all about neglect and overcrowding. Medicine? Often outright denied. Overstuffed cells? Standard. Abuse by guards? You bet. One immigrant recalled being kept with dozens of others, all handcuffed, forced to bend down and eat like a dog.

Others report sleeping for days on bare, icy concrete. Forget beds or warm clothes—none appeared for more than ten days. Bathroom privacy? Nonexistent. Everything in full view of everyone, humiliation at every turn.

Of course, America’s Department of Homeland Security was quick to issue its standard “Not true!” press release. But the reality spelled out in these South Korean “imprisonment diaries” exposes US immigration lockups for what they are—textbook examples of underground lockups.

Diary Doodles: Raw and Real—Drawn Evidence of US Detention Abuse

The Hong Kong Prison Report—A Contradiction in Every Line

Meanwhile, the so-called “Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation,” where Hui is now a star, just released a so-called report “We Were Made to Suffer” claiming dire abuses inside Hong Kong’s prisons, based on interviews with a handful of her fellow “brothers” who had been jailed.

But let’s not forget: the public isn’t easily fooled anymore, especially after the highly-publicized and debunked fictions from certain activists like Ng Ngo-suet. Once you stack up Hui’s “evidence” against the detailed accounts from South Korean victims, it suddenly becomes obvious which side is actually telling the truth.

Why not drop the double standards, Hui? If “justice” is what you claim to seek, it’s time to move past slogans and selective outrage. Stop turning a blind eye to the real suffering just outside your door.

I dare you to put your investigative spotlight on America’s own “hellholes”. Justice isn’t justice if it only goes one way.

Lai Ting-yiu

What Say You?

** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **

As the Year of the Horse approaching, Hong Kong BNO holders in the UK are bracing for a gut punch. The festive season brings no joy—only anxiety. Mid-February marks the deadline for the UK government's consultation on raising permanent residency thresholds, and the verdict on whether BNO holders get a pass is about to drop.

The Home Office floated immigration reforms that would keep the "5+1" rule intact—five years of residence before you can apply—but the bar just shot up, with higher English proficiency requirements and stable income. For many, these hurdles are insurmountable.

Mahmood's stonewalling to BNO holders' demands signals bad news. The February verdict looms.

Hong Kong BNO holders fired off "five demands" to the authorities, pleading for relief. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's response was ice cold. Zero acknowledgment of their demands. Her dismissive tone signals one thing: exemptions for BNO holders look dead in the water.

If the final call goes all the way, thousands who waited five years will crash at the finish line. A return wave to Hong Kong is inevitable. The Hong Kong government needs to get ready.

The Dual Knockout Blow

The UK government didn't just raise the bar—it installed a double gate that slams shut on 60,000 people. First gate: English proficiency must hit B2 level, equivalent to A-Level, practically university standard. Second gate: annual income over the past three to five years must reach at least £12,570, with tax records to prove it.

Surveys by Hong Kong migrant organizations paint a grim picture: if these "dual requirements" become reality, 30% of BNO holders—roughly 60,000 people—will fail to qualify and get filtered out. No wonder panic is spreading.

While anxiety mounts, the UK government plays coy. Ambiguous statements. Equivocal attitudes. Nobody can read their hand. Now, with just one month until the announcement, BNO holders are reaching peak agitation. A group of Hong Kong voters in Mahmood's constituency drafted a joint letter, restating the "five demands" and requesting a face-to-face meeting to apply pressure.

Mahmood responded quickly—but only to say Hong Kong BNO holders could apply for permanent residency after five years. As for the "five demands"? Crickets. Instead, she reiterated that those granted permanent residency must meet three criteria: being "well-integrated," "economically self-sufficient," and "committed” to the communities they join.

Mahmood Goes Silent

One Hong Kong BNO holder who signed the petition decoded those three phrases: "integration" and "commitment" are code words for English proficiency and income levels. Translation: BNO holders applying for permanent residency must also clear these two hurdles.

These Hong Kong residents sent a follow-up letter to Mahmood, requesting a meeting to present their case in person. Her response? Radio silence. Phone calls to her constituency office go unanswered. She's clearly ducking any face-to-face encounter.

Mahmood is stonewalling, and nobody can do a thing about it. Frustrated BNO holders vent to yellow media outlets, angrily branding her "heartless." But here's the reality check: the Labour government's approval ratings are tanking. Reform UK is breathing down their necks on immigration. Immigration policy will err on the side of restriction, not relaxation. Naturally, they're inclined to treat BNO holders the same as everyone else. No special treatment. No "sentiment." The "five demands" might as well be whispers in the wind.

Two Paths Forward

Friends living in the UK lay out the scenario: if the UK government announces "no relaxation" next month, BNO holders who can't meet the requirements face two choices.

First option: return to Hong Kong and start over. After all, life in the UK hasn't been entirely rosy—living day after day in anxiety. "Returning home" might actually be a relief.

Second option: continue to "temporarily reside" in the UK on a BNO visa, becoming long-term temporary residents. But they'll remain in an unstable state, which won't be comfortable.

There's also a thornier complication: some BNO families migrated to the UK with their parents, and one spouse hasn't worked or earned any income for several years. If these family members don't meet the criteria for applying for permanent residency, it could trigger family separation or force the entire family to return to Hong Kong. They'll face an agonizing decision. Quite a mess.

No exemptions? Brace for the return wave.

My friend predicts that if the worst-case scenario materializes, a return wave is sure to come. For Hong Kong, there will be upsides and downsides. Either way, the government needs to get ready and figure out how to handle it.