Since June, ICE has been arresting Hongkongers lawfully present in the US by intercepting airports, holding them for weeks, and pressuring them to sign voluntary departure forms. In every case I’ve handled, courts eventually order them released, but this only happens after weeks or months of illegal detention of innocent people. Even after release, many are forced by ICE to wear ankle monitors and barred from leaving their area.
@phelimkine of
@politico investigates these illegal detentions in a new article out today. DHS told him that DED "is not a status." But Hanscom Smith, who served as US consul general in Hong Kong under both Trump and Biden, shared the reality: if you're a Hongkonger here on DED, you're here legally.
Many of these people were part of the 2019 democracy protests. Administration officials have told us the White House will not extend DED past February 5. After that, DHS's position is that it can put them on a plane back to a government that jails people for wearing a "liberate Hong Kong" T-shirt or posting pro-democracy statements on social media.
Senator Merkley and Rep. McGovern's Hong Konger Promise of Refuge Act would let these Hongkongers stay and apply for green cards. It is the clearest fix on the table, and it needs support now. Time is short: Please ask your senators and representative to cosponsor it.
Republicans in particular: this should be your bill too. In 2021 Marco Rubio cosponsored legislation to fast-track Hong Kong exiles for refugee status. These are pro-democracy Hongkongers fleeing the Chinese Communist Party, and every one of them was vetted before arriving. We need Republican cosponsors to get it moving, and I'm glad to talk with any office considering it.
politico.com/news/2026/10/10…