OAN’s Brooke Mallory
5:43 PM – Friday, November 3, 2023
A measure that could ban Palestinians from entering the United States and even force those who are currently here to leave was submitted on Thursday by Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.)
The Safeguarding Americans from Extremism Act was sponsored by Zinke, the former secretary of the Interior Department under President Trump.
The bill would force the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop providing visas, asylum, and sanctuary to individuals whose passports are issued by the Palestinian Authority. The law would also deny entry or a visa to anybody who entered the country after October 1st.
“This legislation keeps America safe,” Zinke said. “I don’t trust the Biden Administration any more than I do the Palestinian Authority to screen who is allowed to come into the United States. This is the most anti-Hamas immigration legislation I have seen and it’s well deserved. Given the circumstances, the threats to our immigration system and the history of terrorists abusing refugee, asylum and visa processes all over the world, the requirements in this bill are necessary to keep Americans safe. This bill does exactly that.”
Zinke’s measure would prevent Alejandro Mayorkas, the secretary of DHS, from awarding passport holders asylum and refugee status in addition to Temporary Protected Status.
DHS would be instructed to collaborate with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs Enforcement, and other agencies in order to “identify” and remove those who “lack lawful status, including newly revoked status.”
The legislation was prompted by a letter that Republican lawmakers sent to Mayorkas and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken earlier in October, requesting that temporary student visa holders who “have expressed support for Hamas” be revoked and deported.
This was in response to Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on October 7th that claimed the lives of over 1,400 people.
10 co-sponsors showed their support for the bill — Reps. Andy Harris (R-Md.), Aaron Bean (R-Fla.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), Bill Posey (R-Fla.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.).
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