On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill aimed at barring anyone involved in the Hamas-led attacks on Israel from entering the country.
According to Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), who sponsored the bill, “This new law will help prevent a future Joe Biden from undermining our nation’s sovereignty and allowing access to the most dangerous organized crime groups and terrorists.” report By JNS.
The Zero Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act of 2025 passed the House with substantial support from Republican co-sponsors, including Rep. Joe Wilson (R-South Carolina), Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-New York), and Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Missouri).
This bill proposes changes to the Immigration and Nationality Act, specifically targeting “aliens who have committed, participated in, planned, financed, or supported” the attacks that began on October 7.
It explicitly includes members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
While Democrats backed the bill, they voiced concerns about its wording regarding particular terrorist incidents. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) mentioned that all members of foreign terrorist organizations are already barred from entry into the U.S.
He also noted that Congress typically avoids naming specific events, referencing the 9/11 terrorist attacks as an example.
“Look at our response to the 9/11 attacks,” Raskin said. “We reformed our immigration laws and established the Department of Homeland Security.”
McClintock challenged Raskin’s argument, asserting that there is historical precedent, including references to the Nazi Party and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
He categorized Hamas as “the modern-day successors of the Nazis,” insisting that they should be included on the list of groups barred from U.S. immigration.
McClintock posed a rhetorical question: “Does anyone seriously argue that sanctions against those who aided and abetted the Nazi Holocaust should be lifted?”
He pointed to the case of Mahmoud Amin Yaqub al-Muftadi, a Gazan immigrant charged recently by the U.S. Department of Justice for involvement in the October 7 attacks.
The bill ultimately passed the House despite a negative vote. It is now in the Senate, following the failure of a previous version.
