US Imposes Visa Restrictions on Thai Officials Over Uyghur Deportations to China

The State Department targets Thai officials for their role in forcibly returning 40 Uyghurs to China, citing risks of torture and persecution.

The United States has implemented a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign officials complicit in the forced return of Uyghurs and other vulnerable groups to China.
The policy was immediately applied to Thai officials involved in the February 27 deportation of 40 Uyghurs to China, despite international concerns about their safety.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that Uyghurs face torture, enforced disappearances, and other human rights abuses upon return to China, which the US has classified as genocide.
The visa restrictions, under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, can also extend to certain family members of the targeted officials.
The US has urged governments worldwide to resist China's pressure to deport Uyghurs, reinforcing its commitment to addressing human rights violations.