Civic Register
| 7.22.21
Hong Kong Democracy Activists Fear Potential 'Exit Bans' - Should the U.S. Grant Them Refugee Status?
Should the U.S. grant refugee status to Hong Kong democracy activists?
What’s the story?
- A controversial immigration law enacted in Hong Kong has sparked concerns among pro-democracy activists that the Chinese Communist Party-backed government will seek to prevent them from leaving the city. Exit bans have become increasingly prevalent in mainland China for use against citizens and foreigners alike, including Americans.
- The Hong Kong Bar Association said the law, which will take effect on August 1st, gives the government the power to bar any person from entering or leaving Hong Kong for an indefinite period without obtaining a court order. The government dismissed those concerns as “nonsense.”
- Hong Kong’s national security police have reportedly compiled a list of people to arrest if they try to flee the city, which resulted in the apprehension of a writer from the Apple Daily. The Apple Daily was the last major pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong and shuttered its bureau in the city after several editors and executives were arrested by the CCP.
- Politico obtained a letter from a coalition of pro-democracy Hong Kongers in exile calling on Congress to pass a bill in the chamber to grant priority refugee status to Hong Kongers.
What would the bill do?
- Introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in the Senate and Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) in the House, the Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act would designate certain Hong Kong residents and their immediate family members with priority status for refugee consideration, known as “Priority 2” refugee status.
- Priority 2 refugee status would be available to Hong Kongers who suffered persecution or have a well-founded fear of persecution as a result of peaceful political activity; or have been formally charged, detained, or convicted for certain peaceful actions. This would also allow Hong Kong refugees to be admitted without counting against numerical limits refugee admissions.
- Under the bill, Hong Kongers couldn’t be denied admission to the U.S. due to a politically motivated government action against them (such as revocation of citizenship) stemming from their involvement in the 2019-2020 protests against China’s encroachment on Hong Kong’s autonomy. Those whose Hong Kong residency was revoked would remain eligible for refugee status as victims of political persecution.
- Additionally, the bill would ease the path to an asylum claim for Hong Kongers who were arrested amid the protests by waiving the consideration of immigration intent in the asylum application process.
— Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: Studio Incendo via Flickr / Creative Commons)
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We need to support the Hong Kongers who are fighting for democracy and standing up to the communist party-backed government.
If we truly stand for democracy, this is a no-brainer.
Yes the USA should grant them refugee status
Yes. And we should offer China a trade, we'll take two people from Hong Kong for every leftist they take off our hands.
More ways to destroy the USA. Fix US First!!!!! Until then, stop all this other BS. When we are able to manage US, maybe we can get involved in other countries issues.
Kyle, 🤦🏼♀️ dude. Hong Kong is not a country and never has been.
Along with those from Hong Kong, Congress needs to give refugee status to those Afghanistan people who supported our troops while we were at war with the Taliban! If not, they will suffer terrible persecution at the hands of the Taliban.
These are exactly the kind of immigrants we need. These people will cherish and uphold democracy
They'll kill them you don't!
I would go so far as to say that we make a trade. We trade those activists that yearn for freedom for our progressive liberal democrat socialists that want oppression. I'll take a group of foreigners that loves America over a group of Americans that hate America any day.
This can be done AFTER immigrants at our Southern borders are taken care of!
Ironical … USA and European countries imposed sanctions on China for human rights violations in xinjiang but not a SINGLE Islamic country has done so much as a peep?
No, we cannot continue to save the world. America was founded and intended to be a White Christian nation, a Melting Pot of Europeans, not the Crap Stew the democRATs have turned it in. Only White Europeans should be allowed. The Balkans failed and they only had two cultures, we have over 200. The multicultural expert is a failure, this country needs to return to White Christian status. When God created the world he separated the races for a reason, we were not meant to co-exist.
We need immigrants who love this country more than citizens who hate it.
These Hong Kong champions of democracy have been better advocates of what the USA stands for than has the USA from Feb 2016 to Feb 2021! They have supported us, and supported Democracy in their own land, and are no in danger from an autocratic communist government over which they have no say. Welcome them as heros.
It would be a good thing generally to open the doors to people trying to escape the demolition of a democracy. They understand what happens when a democracy is put at risk by an autocratic governance and can help us all understand and see the risks of an encroaching autocracy here.
If we are truly a country of refugees we should be helping the people of Hong Kong before anyone from Mexico or many other countries this oppression that is being done in Hong Kong is very real
Let the Cubans in - close the borders and fo after BLM and Antifa
I think we need freedom-loving people here in America. Hopefully, Biden will not discriminate against Asians like he is discriminating against the Cubans who want to come to America because Cubans mostly likely will not vote democratic party.
After we bring all the Afghanistan supporters to safety.