Revived US bill proposes special status for Hongkongers threatened by national security law
- The legislation provides multiple pathways to seek entry into the United States, including one for ‘highly skilled’ applicants
- The measure was reintroduced after being blocked by Senator Ted Cruz in December
Representatives Tom Malinowski, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, held a briefing on Tuesday to promote the Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act, which would offer Hongkongers threatened by the city’s national security law refugee status on an expedited basis, or temporary protected status (TPS) for those already in the US.
Citing the closure of Hong Kong’s Apple Daily newspaper last week, Malinowski said the law gave “this persecution the veneer of legality”.
“It’s something that almost all dictatorships try to do these days, but we know that there is nothing lawful about the lawlessness of Chinese persecution in Hong Kong,” he said. “This is the end of the rule of law … the feature that has made Hong Kong a central, vibrant and successful place for so many years.”
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Kinzinger expressed confidence that the bill would become law because the detention and prosecution of Hongkongers has motivated congressional Republicans and Democrats.
“There’s many differences, of course, between the parties and in our beliefs, but on these issues we stand completely united,” he said.
