A pair of Chinese-American siblings accused of trying to bomb a US Air Force base were born in the United States to parents living in the country illegally. 

Alen and Ann Mary Zheng’s parents Qiu Qin Zou and Jia Zhang Zheng are failed asylum seekers who have been living in the US illegally since 1998, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.

The pair first entered the US from China in 1993, but their attempt to claim asylum was turned down.

They were arrested in Tampa, Florida, on March 18, eight days after their children allegedly tried to bomb MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

Son Alen, 20, is accused of planting the device and is believed to have fled to China.

His sister Ann Mary Zheng, 27, is accused of being an accessory to her brother’s crimes and of tampering with evidence.

Alen Zheng, 20, has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly placing an explosive device outside MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa on March 10, before authorities believe he fled to China. 

Ann Mary Zheng, 27, has been charged with evidence tampering and accessory in connection with a bomb plot targeting a Florida Air Force Base 

The silbings’ parents, pictured above, are accused of entering the US illegally in 1993

His sister, Ann Mary Zheng, 27, has been charged with evidence tampering and being an accessory to her brother’s alleged crimes. 

She was arrested on March 17 after returning to the United States from China via Detroit.  

Ann Mary also fled after the alleged bomb plot, but was arrested on March 17 when she returned to the US. Authorities believe Alen is still in China. 

The siblings’ parents tried to reopen their asylum case multiple times while living in the United States, DHS officials told Fox News.

They did not say why their applications had been refused.  

Alen and Ann Mary were born in the US and are legal citizens. However, their status may be threatened as the Trump administration lobbies to remove birthright citizenship. 

The federal government has now pointed to the case as justification for its crusade against birthright. 

Acting Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement that the case underscores the ‘severe national security threat’ that illegal immigration and birthright poses to US citizens.  

Ann Mary and her brother Alen Zheng, who has not been pictured, have been accused of planting a defective bomb at the MacDill Air Force Base. Authorities are pictured above after the threat on March 18 

Ann Mary allegedly fled the country to China with her brother after placing the bomb. She is pictured above during her arrest after she returned to the US 

President Trump is currently trying to end the rule which automatically grants children born in the US to illegal immigrant parents American citizenship.  

‘Automatically granting citizenship to children of illegal aliens born in the U.S. is based on a historically inaccurate interpretation of the Citizenship Clause and poses a major national security risk,’ she argued. 

‘That reality became apparent last week when two US-born children of Chinese illegal aliens were indicted for planting a potentially deadly explosive device outside MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.’

It’s unclear whether Qiu Qin and Jia Zhang have been living in Florida since entering the US. DHS said the couple is currently in ICE custody, but did not disclose the exact detention center. 

Their daughter remains in jail until her trial, while their son is still on the run abroad. Assistant US Attorney Lauren Stoia argued there is a ‘substantial risk’ that she would flee if she were granted bail.

‘She took all of these steps to get her brother to a place without an extradition treaty with the United States,’ Stoia said. ‘I think the question is, what is the defendant’s freedom worth to her?’

Ann Mary was also accused in court of using ChatGPT to ask questions related to her brother’s vehicle allegedly connected to the crime 

Questions have been raised over why the bomb went undiscovered for six days. Tampa Police Department officers are pictured after the arrests above 

Ann Mary appeared in court on Tuesday. Prosecutors revealed during the hearing that they believe she asked ChatGPT damning questions about how to obtain a Chinese visa the day after the alleged bombing plot, the Tampa Bay Times reported. 

Prosecutors said she also asked the bot to explain how to transfer ownership of properties in her brother’s name, and Googled Chinese schools he could attend. 

The day after they allegedly planted the bomb, prosecutors said Ann Mary asked ChatGPT: ‘Is there a way to track a 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350?’

According to her indictment, Ann Mary has been accused of ‘corruptly’ altering, destroying and mutilating her brother’s 2010 black Mercedes-Benz GLK 350. 

If convicted, Ann Mary faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. She has also been ordered to forfeit $5,000, according to the US Attorney’s Office. 

US Attorney Greg Kehoe added in a news conference last week that agents discovered bomb components when they searched the siblings’ residence in Land O’ Lakes. 

Ann Mary is in custody following her arrest and appeared in court on Tuesday. She is pictured above with officials 

They also found Alen’s SUV, which had been cleaned and sold but still had traces of explosives inside, according to Kehoe.

MacDill Air Force Base serves as a critical military headquarters. The bomb was reported through a 911 call, but went undetected for six days until an airman made the chilling discovery. 

The delay in its discovery has raised questions over the base’s security, given the base’s role in plans involving the war in Iran. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Ann Mary’s representation for comment.