Support among Republican lawmakers is actively growing to limit President Biden from importing Palestinians into the U.S. following the deadly Hamas attack against Israel. The GOP demonstrates its commitment to Israel as its war with Hamas ensues, claiming thousands of lives.
House Republicans Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) and Andy Ogles (R-TN) introduced legislation under the proposed ‘GAZA Act’ which would prevent the Biden administration from issuing visas to individuals with Palestinian Authority passports. The legislative act would also prohibit the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from bringing Palestinians to the U.S. through parole.
“Following the horrific attack by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists on innocent Israeli civilians, the last thing America ought to do is trust identity documents issued by the radicals that oversee these territories,” Tiffany said in a statement. “We need to put our security at home first and that starts by closing the door to bad actors who might be seeking to enter our country.”
“At a time when the threat of terrorism is not only grotesquely on display but being encouraged and justified, it is critical that we do our best to ensure the security of our nation,” Ogles added.
After introducing the bill, various other Republicans voiced their support for the initiative. “Iran should take responsibility for any Palestinian refugees caused by its proxy … war with Israel,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) told the New York Post. “Iran is responsible for the death and destruction — it should be responsible for refugees as well.”
Florida Gov. and Republican Primary Candidate Ron DeSantis weighed in on the issue during a speech in Iowa, where he stated the U.S. “cannot accept people from Gaza into this country as refugees.” DeSantis continued, “If you look at how they behave, not all of them are Hamas, but they are all antisemitic, none of them believe in Israel’s right to exist, [and] none of the Arab states are willing to take any of them. The Arab states should be taking them if they have refugees. You don’t fly people and import them to the United States of America. We’re going to be very strong on that.”
Governor DeSantis continued to clarify his stance on the issue, stating anyone who hates America should not be allowed into our country. He further highlights the potential national security threat that could arise if terrorists were allowed into the U.S., criticizing the Biden administration for not having control over the southern border.
“My view is very simple: If you don’t like this country, if you hate America, you should not come to this country, this also raises the question of how much risk now we have as Americans because of this open border, you know under Biden, people from the Terrorist Watch List have come in and that’s not me saying it, that’s Biden’s own DHS saying it, we know people have come from Iran, China, the Middle East, you don’t think there’s any percentage of those who [want to do this country harm?]”
Elected Republican leaders continue reaffirming the need for strict controls around who enters the United States, as some Democrats entertain the idea of allowing Palestinians to resettle in America.
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