Senators weigh help for Hong Kong amid crackdown

Amid the continued Chinese government crackdown on opposition political activity in Hong Kong, Senate lawmakers heard from pro-democracy activists, and two Senate bill sponsors, as they examine ways to help Hong Kong refugees facing political persecution.

"Assisting Hong Kongers, who are seeking refuge is not only the morally right thing to do, but it's also in our national security interests, said Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.

Rubio is a co-sponsor along with Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, of the Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act, a bipartisan bill that would give special refugee status to Hong Kongers who have suffered persecution, or who have a well-founded fear of future persecution because of their peaceful political activities.

"I deeply believe that Hong Kong is on the front lines of a much larger struggle. It is the broader struggle between authoritarianism and democracy, Rubio said.

The Senate hearing comes as Chinese prosecutors have announced the indictment of 10 people from Hong Kong over an attempt to flee the city amid a crackdown on opposition political activity.

They were arrested at sea earlier this year, along with two others, while they were apparently attempting to flee to Taiwan after a tough national security law took effect in Hong Kong.

"The United States must not ignore their plight, said Joey Siu of the human rights group, Hong Kong Watch.

"And we should be joining our closest allies to help Hong Kongers," she said.

Just days ago, Hong Kong high profile media owner and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai was taken to court to face new charges related to the National Security Law which Beijing imposed on Hong Kong this year.

"Hong Kong has fallen, it's gone from being the freest city in China to a quasi-police state," said Samuel Chu of the Hong Kong Democracy Council.

During the hearing, the Trump administration came under fire by the subcommittee's top Democrat, Sen. Dick Durbin.

"In the midst of the worst refugee crisis in the history of the world, the Trump administration has set record low refugee admission targets for years in a row, culminating in the lowest level of refugees in history, fifteen thousand," Durbin said.

"How many refugees has the United States admitted from Hong Kong in the last year," he asked.

"Zero, not one," Durbin said.