Bipartisan Bill Aims to Safeguard Uyghur Refugees in the US

A bipartisan bill introduced in the US House seeks to ease asylum processes for Uyghurs fleeing China's persecution. The Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act aims to assist the persecuted 12 million Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Co-sponsored by Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, the bill emphasizes providing expedited refugee status.

A bipartisan group within the US House of Representatives has proposed legislation to facilitate asylum procedures for Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities escaping persecution in China. The Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act aims to support the 12 million Uyghurs facing alleged genocide in Xinjiang, according to Radio Free Asia (RFA).

Representative Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat from northern Virginia, is among the bill's co-sponsors, motivated by the significant Uyghur community in his district. As reported by RFA, Subramanyam condemned the Chinese government's actions as a human rights crisis, sharing the distress of Uyghur constituents concerned about relatives facing persecution, and expressed pride in leading this bipartisan effort for refuge.

RFA reports that since 2017, approximately 1.8 million Uyghurs have been reportedly detained in camps in China, enduring forced labour and torture. Despite Chinese government denials, international entities claim these camps involve severe human rights violations. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican co-sponsor from Florida, labeled the Uyghur genocide as an unprecedented crime against humanity, underscoring the urgency for the US refugee system to prioritize these victims.

(With inputs from agencies.)