I M P L E M E N TAT I O N O F T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E L I G I O U S F R E E D O M AC T required procedures to identify asylum seekers and refer them for CPC and SWL list designations. The joint explanatory statement for credible fear determinations; that they detain asylum seekers in the FY 2021 State Department, Foreign Operations, and Related inappropriate, prison-like conditions; and that funding disparities Programs Appropriations Act (Division K of P.L. 116-260) requires and a lack of high-level oversight that the secretary of state inform hamper the complicated, multicertain House and Senate comagency process. These flaws raise mittees of the reasoning if the Notable actions by Congress in 2020 serious concerns that the United State Department does not folStates is erroneously returning low the CPC recommendations in to promote IRF included passage asylum seeker s to countries USCIRF’s Annual Report within 30 of the Uyghur Human Rights and Policy Act where they could face persedays of this decision. and the Tibetan Policy and Support Act, cution or tor ture in violation Congress also highlighted of both U.S. and international religious freedom violations along with the adoption of a resolution law—a risk that the expanded through legislation, hearings, calling for the global repeal of blasphemy, use of Expedited Removal over and other initiatives. Notable heresy, and apostasy laws. the years has only exacerbated. actions by Congress in 2020 to In February 2021 President promote IRF included passage Biden ordered the secretary of of the Uyghur Human Rights and homeland security to review Expedited Removal procedures and make Policy Act and the Tibetan Policy and Support Act, along with the recommendations for “creating a more efficient and orderly process adoption of a resolution calling for the global repeal of blasphemy, that facilitates timely adjudications and adherence to standards of heresy, and apostasy laws. The House passed the Uyghur Forced fairness and due process,” a step that USCIRF welcomed. Labor Prevention Act and the Ukraine Religious Freedom Act, and both bills were reintroduced into the 117th Congress as Members Notable Congressional Efforts to Promote Religious push for their full passage into law. Congressional hearings on topics Freedom Abroad related to IRF included hearings convened by the TLHRC on conflict In 2020, Congress’ IRF promotion efforts included its oversight of in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, religious freedom in China, and human the State Department’s implementation of IRFA. In September, a rights in Russia. Members of Congress also advocated for the release bipartisan group of senators wrote to then Secretary of State Pompeo of religious prisoners of conscience through the TLHRC’s Defending to urge consideration of USCIRF’s recommendations when making Freedoms Project. USCIRF | ANNUAL REPORT 2021 11