Merkley, McGovern Unveil New Legislation to Protect Hong Kong Residents in America from Being Forced to Return to PRC

Merkley, McGovern Unveil New Legislation to Protect Hong Kong Residents in America from Being Forced to Return to PRC October 6, 2026 Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative James P. McGovern (MA-02)—Ranking Members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)—announced the Hong Konger Promise of Refuge Act , new legislation to provide protections for Hong Kong residents who have fled persecution and are living in the United States. Since 2021, Hong Kong residents have been protected from deportation under the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) program; however, the program is set to expire in early 2027. Merkley and McGovern’s bill would allow certain Hong Kong residents in America to apply for U.S. lawful permanent resident status and ultimately U.S. citizenship, rather than be forced to return to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). “As the PRC and Hong Kong authorities continue to undermine the fundamental rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers, the United States must protect Hong Kong residents who have sought refuge in America,” said Merkley. “The PRC’s erosion of autonomy, rule of law, and civil liberties in Hong Kong and the political persecution of those who were brave enough to speak out in dissent mean that America cannot just abandon Hong Kongers who sought refuge here. Congress must take action and enact our legislation to ensure Hong Kongers residing in the U.S. do not have to fear deportation.” “Hong Kongers have found safe harbor in the United States under DED, and we should continue to protect them from being deported back to danger in Hong Kong,” said McGovern. “I urge President Trump to extend DED, but if he does not, Congress should pass our bill. Providing refuge to Hong Kongers used to have bipartisan support, including from then-Senator Marco Rubio. Now, the Trump-Rubio Administration is working to send people back to persecution under the Chinese Communist Party they once said they opposed. We should not be complicit in such human rights violations. The U.S. must extend DED now.” Merkley and McGovern have led the charge to stand up for the rights of Hong Kongers and protect Hong Kong residents living in America from deportation. They have also highlighted the case of Jimmy Lai and other pro-democracy advocates who have been the targets of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments’ coordinated repression of free speech and democracy. The Hong Konger Promise of Refuge Act is supported by Hong Kong Watch, Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) Foundation, and Hong Kong Democracy Council. “Hongkongers living in the United States were given protection because of a crackdown this country has condemned for seven years, and they are now being arrested despite that protection. Deferred Enforced Departure was never meant to be permanent, and a memorandum that expires in February is no safeguard against a government that puts bounties on pro-democracy activists abroad. We welcome this legislation, which follows the precedent Congress set after Tiananmen: a closed group, a one-year window to apply, and a real path to permanent status. Congress should pass it without delay,” said Ray Wong, Policy and Strategy Advisor for Hong Kong Watch. “Members of Congress from both parties have long been the bedrock of support for freedom and human rights in China and Hong Kong. Now, Hongkongers who have built lives in the United States face the prospect of being sent back to a place where they could face political persecution. Deferred Enforced Departure, which was granted by a Democratic administration and implemented by a Republican one, is set to expire on February 5, 2027, and there is no guarantee it will be renewed. If it lapses, thousands of people will lose their protection from removal and their ability to work. It is time for Congress to stand up for freedom and human rights and pass this legislation in 2026 so that Hongkongers are not forced back into the hands of an authoritarian regime. Time is short, and action is necessary,” said Jonathan Stivers, U.S. Director, Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) Foundation. “Since August 2021, thousands of Hong Kongers have lived, worked, and contributed to American life while lawfully present under Deferred Enforced Departure. Many face immediate danger if forced to return home due to their record of pro-democracy activism. They cherish freedom and human rights because they have seen the Chinese Communist Party chipping away at the values they hold dear firsthand. The program that now protects them was twice expanded and extended, but it was always meant as a stopgap executive measure until legislation establishing viable, permanent humanitarian pathways. While previous efforts have faltered, the Hong Konger Promise of Refuge Act is an important step in the right direction that can eliminate uncertainties clouding the future of a community already in the United States,” said the Hong Kong Democracy