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.

Mark Swidan had been wrongfully detained in China since 2012, and his family fought to one day bring him home. Now, the State Department said he would return as part of a prisoner swap agreement.

Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung have been released from detention, a spokesperson for the National Security Council said.