Top Biden administration officials are mulling over plans to potentially welcome into the US a small number of Palestinians fleeing the region amid the bloody Israel-Hamas war, according to a report.
One idea officials floated over recent weeks is to tap into the United States Refugee Admissions Program to grant refugee status to those who escaped the Gaza Strip into Egypt, CBS News reported, citing documents.
That effort would likely require cooperation with Egypt. Palestinians who have family in the US may also get admittance, per the report.
“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 The Post when asked about the report.
“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,” the spokesperson added.
US officials have reportedly been considering various arrangements to that effect and multiple federal agencies are involved with the plans.
To gain entrance into the US, would-be refugees would likely need to pass screenings assessing their medical condition, eligibility, and any security concerns.
They would also likely have to provide evidence that they are fleeing some form of persecution.
That could prove tricky for individuals who claim to be fleeing persecution from Israel, which is a key US ally in the region.
Individuals may be able to claim they are fleeing Hamas, which the US designates as a terrorist organization.
Refugee status provides individuals the ability to gain permanent residence in the US, an avenue towards citizenship, and financial assistance.
Such a policy would mark a dramatic shift for the US refugee program, which has generally not permitted Palestinians into the country en masse.
Over the past 10 years, the US has admitted over 400,000 refugees, according to data from the State Department.
This includes 56 Palestinians in fiscal year 2023 before the Israel-Hamas war began and at least 16 between last October and March 31.
It is unclear how many Gazans the administration is contemplating allowing into the US.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) called the move “reckless.”
“Hogwash. 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,” he tweeted.
“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.”
President Biden, 81, has come under intense pressure from progressives over the Israel-Hamas war, with many far-left activists demanding more humanitarian action for the Palestinians as well as a harder line against Israel.
The war erupted after the Oct. 7, 2023 surprise attack from Hamas that killed some 1,200 Israelis.
Since then, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry claims that 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war.
Pro-Israel experts and officials have raised questions about the accuracy of those statistics coming out of the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, US immigration policy and the border policy are shaping up to be thorny issues for Biden heading into the November presidential election.
