Republicans on Capitol Hill were in an uproar Wednesday after reports emerged that the Biden administration is considering admitting some refugees from the Gaza Strip into the US as the Israel-Hamas war nears the end of its seventh month.
Senior White House officials have been exploring possible avenues to accept a small number of Gazans — including some who fled the Palestinian enclave into Egypt to escape the fighting, as well as others with family in the US, CBS News reported Tuesday evening.
“I have zero confidence in Biden’s ability to vet refugees. How will he make sure they aren’t Hamas?! He should focus his attention on how to get the hostages home, not putting Americans at risk,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said in response.
“Let me get this straight,” Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) posted on X. “Pro-Hamas lunatics have taken over college campuses. And Joe Biden’s response is to consider ‘welcoming refugees from Gaza’? Absolute disgrace.”
“Biden wants to bring Palestinians into the U.S. by calling them ‘refugees.’ Reminder — these are the same Palestinians who elected and support Hamas,” added Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).
“The left and their media allies denied Republican warnings that Democrats planned to import Gazan ‘refugees’ to America. Now, the truth emerges,” Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) said.
“This is reckless & wrong. @POTUS should reverse course now & put Americans’ safety first.”
“President Biden consistently undermines our national security with reckless decisions like this. We have no clue who is coming into our country, whether on our southern border or from war-torn regions run by terrorists,” Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), a potential Republican vice presidential candidate, posted on X.
“Not a single Hamas sympathizer should be let into this country, and I will use every resource at my disposal to ensure this radical Biden policy never sees the light of day.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also blasted the move and suggested it wouldn’t stand in his state.
“To take people from that part of the world and import those blood feuds to this country, that is not in your interest or your family’s interest. We should not be importing people in from the Gaza Strip,” the governor said Wednesday.
“I think if [the president] does that it is not going to be something that benefits the United States of America. If anything, it will just exacerbate a lot of the problems that we’re seeing now.”
A White House spokesperson didn’t confirm or deny the report when contacted by The Post Tuesday evening.
“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,” the rep said.
“We have also been clear and consistent: the United States categorically rejects any actions leading to the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank or the redrawing of the borders of Gaza.”
On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre played down the CBS report, saying during her regular briefing: “We just don’t have anything to announce at this time.”
Refugee status gives individuals an opportunity to potentially gain a pathway to citizenship and permanent residence in the US. It also opens the doorway to financial assistance.
Individuals would need to clear a background check, fulfill eligibility requirements, and undergo some sort of medical evaluation.
Since Oct.1, the State Department’s Refugee Admissions Program has admitted just 16 Palestinians to the US, according to data as of March 31.
