China released three Americans as part of a prisoner swap between the Biden administration and the Chinese government, according to a person familiar with the matter, a rare moment of cooperation between the adversaries.

Swidan was arrested and imprisoned in 2012 in China on allegations of drug trafficking and sentenced to death. Texans in Congress have advocated for Swidan’s release for years. Members of both parties have denounced the imprisonment as politically motivated.

Houston native Mark Swidan had been jailed overseas for the past 12 years. He faced the death penalty for drug charges, but Texas leaders including Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn have fought for Swidan's release for years,

VW and its local partner sold a production site in the Xinjiang region that had previously brought increased scrutiny on the automaker over human-rights concerns.