Several Republican representatives and dozens of Republican senators are opposing efforts by the Biden administration to potentially resettle Palestinians in the US through the refugee resettlement program.
In a letter, the House members argue that national security could be threatened and that Middle Eastern countries should take in refugees instead.
“Whatever fanciful leftist notion to the contrary, the United States of America cannot be expected to absorb the rest of the world’s problems. It would make much more sense for states in the region to take in those in need. If the administration is indeed working in concert with our allies in the region to pave the way for peace, that should come with the expectation that those allies are working in good faith to ‘do their part,'” the House Republicans wrote.
Similarly, a group of senators wrote a letter asking Biden for details on any Palestinian resettlement plans, expressing concern that proper vetting of such a “high-risk population” for terrorist ties would be difficult.
“Your administration’s reported plan to accept Gazan refugees poses a national security risk to the United States. With more than a third of Gazans supporting the Hamas militants, we are not confident that your administration can adequately vet this high-risk population for terrorist ties and sympathies before admitting them into the United States,” they wrote.
The lawmakers are pushing for provisions to prohibit using funds to issue visas to Palestinians, reflecting opposition to the administration bringing hundreds of thousands of “unvetted” Palestinians into the country.
