World: On Tuesday, Marco Rubio and Chris Coons, the US Senators introduced a bipartisan bill where China’s Uyghur minority community facing oppression from the government would become eligible for prioritized US refugee status.
In a press release, Coons said, “The Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act would make it easier for Uyghurs and members of other Turkic or Muslim minority groups to apply for resettlement in the United States, and it encourages our allies and partners to implement similar policies”.
The release stated that in the US House of Representatives, similar legislation has been introduced by Congressman Ted Deutch and Mario Diaz-Balart. Senator Coons said, “The United States must continue to speak out against the PRC’s human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and we must also provide assurance and protection for the Uyghurs and all those facing persecution as a result of their religious or ethnic identity”.
He further added, “To effectively compete with China, we must be the best version of ourselves, including by living our values and welcoming those who have been unjustly imprisoned in or forced to flee Xinjiang”.
Senator Rubio stated that to end the atrocities and assist the Uyghurs, urgent action is needed. China has been rebuked all over the world for cracking down on Uyghurs. Beijing has been accused by many countries of sending its Muslim minority to mass detention camps.