Trade Law Daily is a service of Warren Communications News.

Lawmakers Say Thailand Could Face US Sanctions If It Returns Uyghur Refugees to China

The U.S. will have to consider "all available measures, including sanctions," if Thailand moves ahead with plans to forcibly deport 48 Uyghur refugees to China, the leaders of the House Select Committee on China said in a joint statement Feb. 26.

Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article

Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.

Reps. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., the committee’s chairman and ranking member, respectively, said the refugees could face imprisonment, torture or death if returned to China, where Uyghurs face systematic persecution.

The lawmakers urged Thailand to work with the U.S. and international partners to find a humane, lawful resolution for these refugees." The Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C., didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Several other lawmakers, including the leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also have raised concerns about the possible deportation.