Palestinian immigrant ban led by GOP House maverick: ‘Too dangerous’

FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., is introducing legislation that would prevent Palestinian nationals from being resettled in the United States for two years, calling it a “common-sense” measure to make sure Americans are safe.

The “Guarding American Zones Against Palestinian Immigration Act” (GAZA Act) places a two-year moratorium on immigration from the Palestinian Authority to the United States.  

It would prevent Palestinian Authority passport holders from being given a visa or other documents to enter the U.S. The bill is being co-sponsored by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., and Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz.

WHITE HOUSE CONSIDERS ACCEPTING SOME PALESTINIANS FROM GAZA AS REFUGEES AMID ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

Rep. Matt Gaetz in the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 7, 2024. (Aaron Schwartz/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

In light of the Oct. 7, Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, there has been renewed interest in whether the U.S. will accept Palestinians as part of its refugee resettlement commitments. 

In a statement, Gaetz highlighted that other countries in the region do not typically take Palestianian refugees and the U.S. has existing national security concerns related to the crisis at the southern border.

“If Palestinian refugees are too dangerous for our allies in the region, they are certainly too dangerous for the United States. The Biden administration’s border policies have already exacerbated national security concerns across our country,” he said.

HAMAS SYMPATHIZERS COULD BE ADDED TO LIST THAT INCLUDES TERRORIST SUSPECTS IF GOP BILL BECOMES LAW 

“A two-year moratorium on all immigration from Palestine is a common-sense measure to ensure the safety and security of the American people. We must prioritize the protection of our nation and its citizens above all else,” he said.

Presidential candidates and GOP lawmakers have called for the U.S. to no longer accept refugees from Gaza, with former President Trump promising last year that “we aren’t bringing anyone in from Gaza.”

Palestinians gather in the hope of obtaining aid delivered through a U.S.-built pier, in central Gaza, May 19, 2024. (Reuters/Ramadan Abed/File Photo)

In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. accepted 56 Palestinian refugees out of the more than 60,000 refugees resettled during that 12-month span, according to data from the State Department. But Gaetz’s bill would go further and prevent Palestinian nationals from being accepted via any visa program, or admitted at the border.

WHY MIDEAST NEIGHBORS WON’T OFFER REFUGE TO PALESTINIANS STUCK IN GAZA WAR ZONE

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CBS News reported that there have been discussions about accepting Palestinians from Gaza who have immediate family members who are U.S. citizens or residents. One proposal involves using the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program to bring Palestinians with U.S. connections who have escaped Gaza and entered neighboring Egypt, the documents reveal.

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“Since the beginning of the conflict, the United States has helped more than 1,800 American citizens and their families leave Gaza, many of whom have come to the United States,” a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital last month. “At President Biden’s direction, we have also helped, and will continue to help, some particularly vulnerable individuals, such as children with serious health problems and children who were receiving treatment for cancer, get out of harm’s way and receive care at nearby hospitals in the region.”

Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.