Several Republican representatives, including Andy Ogles (R-TN), Tom Tiffany (R-WI), and Scott Perry (R-PA), along with many Senate Republicans, are taking steps to block President Joe Biden from resettling Palestinians in American communities. They have written a letter to House Appropriators requesting that the Fiscal Year 2025 spending bill include a provision that would prevent funds from being used to issue visas or grant parole to Palestinians holding passports from the Palestinian Authority.
The Republicans argue that the United States should not be burdened with solving the world’s problems and suggest that countries in the region should take in those in need. They express concern over the Biden administration’s reported consideration of using the refugee resettlement program to bring Palestinians to the U.S.
Andy Ogles and Tom Tiffany have previously introduced the “GAZA Act” to prohibit the issuance of visas to Palestinians by the Biden administration. Senator Joni Ernst and 35 Senate Republicans are also questioning Biden’s plans for Palestinian refugee resettlement, citing national security risks associated with admitting individuals from a region where a significant portion support Hamas militants.
Overall, these Republicans are united in their opposition to allowing Palestinian refugees to be resettled in the United States and are advocating for other countries in the region to take in those in need instead.
