During Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s earliest days on the job — as he was visiting Latin America and meeting with Russian officials to talk about peace in Ukraine — he was also negotiating to keep a group of Uyghur refugees in Thailand from being sent back to Xinjiang, where the American government has said China is committing genocide.
American officials in both the outgoing Biden administration and incoming Trump administration were adamant that Thailand refuse to repatriate more than 40 Uyghur refugees — and that doing so would not only place their lives at risk, but would also be a violation of Thailand’s international obligations.
If Thailand didn’t listen, it would be a personal insult to Rubio, who spent his Senate career working to help the Uyghurs, and a stunning rebuke of American influence in southeast Asia.