A Crucial Western Foothold: Uyghur-Americans in the Fairfax-D.C. Metro Area

Since the 1980s, the Uyghur people of East Turkestan, now known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, have migrated from their ancestral homeland in China in search of a better life. As an ethnically, linguistically, and religiously distinct group, the Uyghurs face severe oppression, with the Chinese state targeting them economically, socially, and physically. Since 2017, mass internment efforts have escalated, leading to the establishment of labor camps that claim to transition Uyghur labor from agricultural to industrial sectors but also serve as sites of ideological indoctrination, torture, and death. As a result of these human rights violations and other push factors, Uyghurs have fled China and established diaspora communities worldwide, particularly in Muslim-majority countries and the United States. The largest Uyghur community in the United States is in the Fairfax-D.C. metro area, where it plays a critical role in transnational advocacy. This community remains deeply connected to East Turkestan and other diaspora groups through digital platforms and political activism, as direct contact is often restricted or dangerous for both parties. The Uyghur diaspora also faces transnational repression, as China employs digital surveillance, harassment, and coercion to silence dissent and control Uyghurs abroad. This has far-reaching consequences, including national security concerns due to Chinese spy networks, psychological trauma among Uyghur communities, and geopolitical challenges linked to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Despite these pressures, the Uyghur community in Fairfax has emerged as a central player in the global struggle against China’s repression, highlighting its significance in the ongoing tensions between the Chinese state and Uyghurs worldwide. Keywords: Uyghurs, East Turkestan, Xinjiang, Transnationalism, Fairfax Virginia, Washington D.C., Cultural Erasure, Internment, Immigration Part of the panel: High Stakes: Faith, Control and ConsumptionModerator: Professor Natan Meir