Washington, DC – Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the C.C.P., and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing support for continued protections of Hong Kong residents under the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) program. The DED program provides vital temporary protection for defenders of democracy from Hong Kong who currently reside in the United States.   

The letter signees request President Biden to extend DED for eligible Hong Kong residents until no earlier than January 20, 2029, due to the threat of political persecution and the erosion of democracy in Hong Kong at the hands of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). 

“Given the PRC’s persistent crackdown on political autonomy and fundamental freedoms of the people of Hong Kong—and its targeted persecution of democracy activists—I urge President Biden to take immediate action to extend the DED program for Hong Kongers before it expires next month. 

“As long as the PRC erodes those rights and freedoms, the United States must continue to stand with and provide safe haven to vulnerable Hong Kongers who have dared to speak out against the PRC’s repression. 

“In the coming weeks, I plan to reintroduce the Hong Kong Freedom and Choice Act, originally introduced by former Representative Tom Malinowski, to provide temporary protected status and expedited refugee status to qualifying Hong Kong residents. The 119th Congress must act to provide a humanitarian pathway to those Hong Kongers being targeted by Beijing.” 

Full text of the letter can be found here. 

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