The U.S. Senate discussed the “Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act” on the 18th when there was a party dispute, has been supporting Hong Kong people to fight for democracy and freedom of Cruz, accused the Democratic Party of trying to use the bill to achieve the purpose of reforming immigration laws, and fear of shooting Beijing to send spies into the United States, so the bill raised opposition. As the term of the current Congress is about to expire, it is expected to fail to reach a unanimous consensus and pass the bill, and can not be submitted to President Trump to sign the bill into effect, the bill passed unanimously by the House of Representatives earlier, will automatically be null and void.
Hong Kong Democratic Committee (HKDC) executive director Zhu Mu Min, who pushed the bill through the U.S. Congress, said earlier that even if the bill is not passed at the end of the congressional session, it will come back in the next session. In addition, several senators also said they would reintroduce the Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act in the next session.
Cruz argued that the bill was “not tough enough” on China and questioned the Democrats’ attempts to use the bill to continue to exploit the controversy in Hong Kong and recklessly expose Americans to Chinese espionage and intelligence activities, and therefore opposed it. He proposed “spicy” measures to prevent China from further influencing the United States, including restrictions on Chinese censorship of the U.S. film industry.
Rep. Cruz, R-Texas, said the Democrats’ move is simply an attempt to “achieve the overhaul of immigration laws they have long sought” and that Beijing would use the bill’s relaxed immigration conditions to send spies to the United States.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CA) said that while he understood Cruz’s concern for Hollywood, he noted that the situation in Hong Kong was more urgent and questioned Cruz’s concern for Hollywood more than the people of Hong Kong, and was disappointed that the bill did not reach a consensus.
The Hong Kong People’s Liberty and Choice Act was jointly moved by Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-CA) and Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-CA) on September 29, and promptly passed unanimously by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on October 1, and again unanimously by the House on December 7.
The bill is aimed at Hong Kong residents who have been in the United States on visas since the bill went into effect. If they have been arrested, detained, or prosecuted during a demonstration, or have played a significant role in a demonstration, and believe they will face political persecution upon their return to Hong Kong, they may apply to the State Department for “temporary protected status” (temporarily protected status, which is not included in the U.S. government’s refugee quota. Holders of “temporary protected status” can obtain legal residence and work permits.
The bill also states that it will expedite other refugee applications involving protests in Hong Kong, covering a range of protests similar to that of the Hong Kong Safe Haven Act. The bill also provides for the United States to maintain Hong Kong’s immigration treatment vis-à-vis China for the next five years.
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