Foreign officials who enable the forced return of Uyghurs and other ethnic or religious groups to China face visa restrictions in the United States, Sec. of State Marco Rubio announced Friday.

The U.S. State Department has imposed visa sanctions on an unspecified number of current and former Thai officials for their role in last month’s deportation of 40 Uyghur asylum seekers to China.

Human rights advocates say at least some of the eight ethnic minority Uyghurs who remain in Thailand’s custody since authorities deported 40 others to China last month are at risk of the same fate.