President Biden extended the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) program, which protects Hong Kong residents in the US from deportation, due to “increasing repression” by the Chinese government, less than two weeks before he will expire
“With this action, we are once again demonstrating President Biden’s strong support for the people of Hong Kong in the face of increasing repression by the People’s Republic of China,” the National Security Council said in a statement. “We continue to strongly oppose the PRC’s use of its National Security Law to deny the Hong Kong people their human rights and fundamental freedoms, undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy, and undermine Hong Kong’s remaining democratic processes and institutions. “.
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President Biden talks about inflation and supply chain issues in Los Angeles.
(AP Photo/Damián Dovarganes)
The two-year extension of the program means Hong Kong residents who would otherwise be deported for overstaying their original visas can remain in the US 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 a temporary safe haven in the US.
DED recipients are also eligible to apply for employment authorization within the US during their extended stay.
A protester waves a flag during a rally to show support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests at Free Square in Taipei on June 13, 2020.
(Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)
According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Biden can extend the DED at his discretion.
Biden first extended the DED program to Hong Kong residents on August 5, 2021, deferring deportation for Hong Kong residents for 18 months.
At the time, Biden said the United States wanted to extend protection to Hong Kong residents from 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 objectives, which is focused on defending democracy and promoting human rights around the world.” Biden said in a statement on Aug. 5.
The Biden administration first issued a stay of deportation in August 2021, due to concerns about “significant erosion” of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.
The Chinese government took steps to quell opposition following protests in Hong Kong in 2019 against a proposed law allowing extraditions to mainland China. Under the national security law, which came into effect in June 2020, police cracked down on opposition politicians, activists and protesters.
Thousands 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 largely pro-Beijing committee the leeway to nominate lawmakers aligned with the mainland Chinese government.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said in a statement that the Biden administration’s decision further exposed the “sinister intent” of the United States 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 detained on politically motivated charges, including secession, subversion, terrorist activities and collusion with a foreign country or outside elements, according to the White House. .
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Additionally, the White House shared that 1,200 political prisoners are now behind bars and more than 10,000 people have been arrested on other charges in connection with the anti-government protests.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
