Biden expands deportation protections for Hong Kong residents amid ‘growing repression’ in China
President Biden has extended the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) program, which protects Hong Kong residents in the United States from deportation, due to ‘increased repression’ by the Chinese government, less than two weeks before it expires .
“With this action, we again demonstrate President Biden’s strong support for the people of Hong Kong in the face of the PRC’s growing crackdown,” the National Security Council said in a statement. “We continue to strongly oppose the PRC’s use of its national security law to deprive the people of Hong Kong of their human rights and fundamental freedoms, undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy, and undermine processes and Hong Kong’s remaining democratic institutions.”
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President Biden talks about inflation and supply chain issues in Los Angeles.
(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
The two-year extension of the program means that Hong Kong residents who would otherwise be deported for overstaying their original visa can stay in the United States until January 26, 2025 without being deported.
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This DED extension was designed for eligible Hong Kong residents who are concerned about returning to Hong Kong with temporary refuge in the United States.
DED recipients can also apply for authorization to work in the United States during their extended stay.
A protester waves a flag during a rally to show support for Hong Kong pro-democracy protests at Free Square in Taipei on June 13, 2020.
(Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)
According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Biden is able to extend the DED at his discretion.
Biden first extended the DED program to Hong Kong residents on August 5, 2021, which postponed the deportation of Hong Kong residents for 18 months.
At the time, Biden said the United States wanted to extend protections to Hong Kong residents against China’s imposition of the National Security Law (NSL).
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“The United States is committed to a foreign policy that unites our democratic values with our foreign policy goals, centered on defending democracy and promoting human rights around the world.” Biden said in a statement Aug. 5.
The Biden administration first granted the stay of deportation in August 2021, due to concerns about “the significant erosionof rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.
The Chinese government moved to stifle opposition following protests in Hong Kong in 2019 against a bill allowing extraditions to mainland China. Under the national security law, which came into force in June 2020, police cracked down on opposition politicians, activists and protesters.
Thousands of people attend a candlelight vigil in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park to mark the anniversary of the military crackdown on a pro-democracy student movement in Beijing.
(AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
Changes were also made to Hong Kong’s election laws to reduce the number of directly elected lawmakers and give a broadly pro-Beijing committee leeway to appoint legislators aligned with the mainland government.
Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said in a statement that the Biden administration’s move further revealed the US’s “sinister intent” to undermine stability in Hong Kong and “contain China’s development”.
“We urge the United States to stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs,” he said.
Since China imposed its national security law, at least 150 opposition politicians, activists and protesters have been arrested on political grounds, including secession, subversion, terrorist activities and collusion with a country. foreign or outside elements, according to the White House. .
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Additionally, the White House said 1,200 political prisoners are now behind bars and more than 10,000 people have been arrested on other charges in connection with anti-government protests.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
