A bipartisan group of senators has proposed legislation that would impose sanctions on Chinese officials involved in enforcing exit bans on U.S. officials in China.

Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Ed Markey introduced the legislation after writing President Donald Trump to urge him to press Beijing to free detained Americans and U.S. residents, including those targeted by exit bans.

"It is immoral and unjust that the Communist Chinese government uses so-called 'exit bans' to prevent American citizens from leaving China. We must protect our citizens and ensure that they are able to return home when they travel abroad," Rubio said in a statement on Wednesday.