The State Department said it was “combating China’s efforts to pressure governments to forcibly return Uyghurs and other groups to China.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio rolled out a new visa restriction policy today, targeting foreign officials who orchestrate or abet the forced return of Uyghurs and other vulnerable ethnic or religious groups to China.

The Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU), a Uyghur advocacy group, has praised US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for imposing visa restrictions on Thai officials involved in the forced repatriation of 40 Uyghurs to China.