The Biden administration is considering welcoming some Palestinians fleeing war-torn Gaza into the United States as refugees amid the ongoing Middle East war between Israel and Hamas.
According to CBS News, senior officials from multiple U.S. federal agencies have discussed options in recent weeks that could accommodate Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who have close relatives who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, according to internal federal documents. We have discussed the details.
One of the proposals includes using the U.S. refugee program to bring in Palestinians with ties to the U.S. who have fled Gaza and entered neighboring Egypt, documents show. Ta.
U.S. officials are also considering taking in more Palestinians from Gaza, and treating them as refugees if they have American relatives, the document said. The proposal would need to depend on coordination with Egypt, which has so far been reluctant to accept large numbers of people from Gaza.
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Joe Biden, President of the United States, March 31, 2022. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo)
Those from Gaza who pass a series of eligibility, medical and security tests are eligible to be sent to the United States for permanent residency, resettlement benefits such as housing assistance, and refugee status, which includes a path to American citizenship. .
Although the number of targets is expected to be relatively small, the proposed plan could provide a lifeline for some Palestinians seeking to escape the Israeli-Hamas war.
As estimated by the Hamas-run government’s Ministry of Health, this 34,000 In Gaza, more than 77,000 people were killed, more than 77,000 people were injured, and hundreds of thousands of civilians were displaced.
Hamas terrorists launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, killing more than 1,200 people and provoking Israeli military retaliation. Hamas has also kidnapped more than 200 people, many of whom remain in custody.
“Since the conflict began, the United States has helped more than 1,800 American citizens and their families flee Gaza, many of whom have come to the United States,” a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital. . “At President Biden’s direction, we will also ensure that especially vulnerable populations, such as children with serious health issues or undergoing treatment for cancer, are kept out of harm’s way and We have supported the community so that they can receive treatment at the hospital, and we will continue to support them in the future.” “
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Smoke rises during an Israeli attack near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, March 28, 2024, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues. (AFP via Getty Images)
“The United States also remains the largest contributor of humanitarian aid to Gaza to address the dire situation, and we are working hard to get more urgently needed aid to more people as quickly as possible.” “We are working on it,” the spokesperson continued. “We have also been clear and consistent: The United States categorically rejects any action that leads to the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank, or the redrawing of Gaza’s borders. The best path forward is “Achieving a sustainable ceasefire” would stabilize the situation through hostage trading and pave the way for a two-state solution. ”
The proposal also comes after President Biden issued a memorandum in February regarding the deferral of forced departure for some Palestinians already in the United States.
The U.S. refugee program has not resettled Palestinians in large numbers since its inception in 1980, so any plan to bring specific Palestinians to the U.S. as refugees would represent a shift in long-standing U.S. government policy and practice. It means.
Over the past decade, the United States has resettled more than 400,000 refugees fleeing violence and war around the world, fewer than 600 Palestinians. In fiscal year 2023, the United States accepted 56 Palestinian refugees out of more than 60,000 refugees resettled during that 12-month period, according to State Department data.
To be eligible to enter the United States as a refugee, applicants must prove that they are fleeing persecution based on certain factors, such as nationality, religion, or political views.
Smoke rises after the Israeli military airstrikes the al-Mughraqa area in the Gaza Strip on April 14, 2024. (Photo by Ashraf Amra/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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The administration’s plan to take in even a small number of Palestinian refugees could lead to criticism from Republican lawmakers who want to make the illegal immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border a central issue in the November election. .
Immediately after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, Republican leaders said the United States should not welcome Palestinian refugees, saying they were anti-Semitic and a potential national security risk. Ta.
The Biden administration has dramatically increased refugee resettlement in recent years. Authorities have set a goal of taking in up to 125,000 refugees in the 2024 fiscal year, which ends at the end of September.
Refugee resettlement was cut to record lows under the Trump administration.
