Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Gregory Meeks (D-NY) introduced the bipartisan Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act. This bill designates Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, who are suffering persecution at the hands of the Chinese government, as priority refugees and expedites their ability to apply for asylum in the United States.
“The brutal persecution of Uyghurs by the Chinese government is a human rights crisis,” said Congressman Suhas Subramanyam. “I have personally heard from Uyghur constituents in my district about their deep concerns for their relatives attempting to flee atrocities. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan initiative to provide those enduring unthinkable oppression with a pathway to expedited refugee status and asylum.”
“The Uyghur Genocide perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party is one of the most horrific crimes against humanity we have ever witnessed,” said Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar. “Our refugee system is designed to provide protection to those who need it most. We should prioritize those that are able to escape the systematic persecution and torture Uyghurs and other oppressed minorities are suffering from in Xinjiang.”
“Congress has been instrumental in calling out the PRC’s genocide against Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang, and now it is time we act to provide them with greater protection,” said Congressman Gregory Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “The U.S. has a responsibility to help Uyghurs seeking to escape these atrocities by expanding refugee pathways and resolving the backlog in Uyghur asylum cases.”
“The Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act could not be more urgently needed. As the People’s Republic of China (PRC) continues to surveil Uyghurs abroad and pressure other countries to forcibly deport them back to genocide, countless Uyghurs are left living in constant fear, anxiously waiting for asylum and refugee status,” said Rushan Abbas, Executive Director of the Campaign for Uyghurs. “This legislation not only grants P-2 refugee status but also prioritizes diplomatic engagement with third countries hosting Uyghurs, ensuring their safety from PRC coercion. By passing this bi-partisan bill, the United States reaffirms its commitment to defending human rights and protecting those escaping persecution. Campaign for Uyghurs fully supports this bill and urges Congress to act without delay.”
“It is not enough to condemn China’s atrocities; the United States must also ensure that Uyghurs are given a safe refuge,” said Julie Millsap from No Business with Genocide. “We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Subramanyam for his leadership on this critical issue.”
“The U.S. should make it a high priority to rescue at-risk Uyghurs who have escaped China’s genocide,” said Omer Kanat, Executive Director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project. “We strongly endorse Rep. Suhas Subramanyam's bill to make it happen.”
The bipartisan legislation would provide Priority 2 (P-2) designation to Uyghurs seeking to escape the horrific repression currently being waged by the Chinese Communist Party. P-2 designation is used for those refugees of special humanitarian concern to the U.S. who have pressing need for resettlement and swift access to the U.S. asylum process. The bill also seeks to protect Uyghur refugees who have fled to countries outside of China besides the U.S. by directing the U.S. Secretary of State to prioritize diplomatic efforts in those countries, who often face intense pressure from the Chinese government to extradite Uyghurs back to China. Just last month, Thailand deported more than 40 Uyghurs to China, where they will likely face persecution, imprisonment, torture, and other crimes against humanity.
The U.S. government has deemed the oppression of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities by the Chinese government as genocide. The years-long systematic persecution has included the arbitrary detention of an estimated one million Uyghurs with evidence of forced labor, forced sterilization, torture, and denial of cultural and religious practices. Congressman Subramanyam’s district in Northern Virginia is home to one of the largest Uyghur diaspora populations in the U.S.
The bill is cosponsored by Representatives Gerald Connolly (D-VA), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Don Beyer (D-VA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Zachary Nunn (R-IA), Andre Carson (D-IN), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Dina Titus (D-NV), Seth Moulton (D-MA), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL).
Campaign for Uyghurs, Uyghur Human Rights Project, No Business for Genocide, and American Muslim and Multifaith Women's Empowerment Council have endorsed the legislation.
The full text of the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act can be found here.
