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Republican lawmakers are demanding assurances that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas won’t attempt a repeat of the Afghanistan airlift fiasco with Palestinians seeking to flee the war between Israel and Hamas.
Reps. Thomas Tiffany of Wisconsin and Andrew Ogles of Tennessee said Mr. Mayorkas has habitually used the U.S. immigration system as an outlet for people from the world’s hot spots. They fear he will face pressure to use his “parole” powers to open the border to Palestinians.
The lawmakers were particularly troubled that the White House, when asked about plans, said the administration doesn’t envision a program for Palestinians “at this time.” The Republicans said Mr. Mayorkas must deliver an “unequivocal” statement ruling it out.
“Mr. Secretary, the American people do not want to see this dangerous situation repeated with Palestinians,” the Republicans wrote in a letter obtained first by The Washington Times. “Moreover, they deserve more than a vague assurance from a White House spokesman that the Biden administration hasn’t yet identified a legally dubious mechanism to flood American neighborhoods with foreigners from a region that is a global hot spot for Islamic terrorism.”
The questions developed in the wake of Hamas’ barbarous sneak attack this month and Israel’s crushing countermeasures, which have displaced hundreds of thousands of residents of Gaza, the Hamas-controlled territory bordering Israel.
SEE ALSO: Third Hamas leader killed in Gaza bombing in recent days
A slew of Republicans are now looking to immigration law for assurances that bad actors can be kept out or, in some cases, that immigration law will be used to oust Hamas supporters living in the U.S. on student visas or as guest workers.
Former President Donald Trump said Monday that he, if elected again, would “aggressively deport” foreigners in the U.S. who show sympathy for Hamas. He said that includes sending deportation officers to “pro-jihadist” rallies to spot targets.
“If you empathize with radical Islamic terrorists and extremists, you’re disqualified,” Mr. Trump said. “If you want to abolish the state of Israel, you’re disqualified. If you support Hamas or any ideology that’s having to do with that or any of the other really sick thoughts that go through people’s minds — very dangerous thoughts — you’re disqualified.”
One prominent New York Democrat has said the U.S. must open its doors to some of those seeking to flee the conflict.
“Fifty percent of the population in Gaza are children,” Rep. Jamaal Bowman, New York Democrat, said in comments reported by the New York Post. “The international community as well as the United States should be prepared to welcome refugees from Palestine while being very careful to vet and not allow members of Hamas.”
The White House, asked over the weekend about a U.S. safety valve for fleeing Palestinians, said it wasn’t the plan for now.
SEE ALSO: Pentagon tells 2,000 troops to prepare for deployment amid Israel-Hamas war
The Biden administration has not been shy about using America’s immigration system for nearly every other world hot spot. Mr. Mayorkas has used parole powers to create backdoor immigration routes for people from Venezuela, Cuba, Ukraine and Afghanistan.
The Homeland Security Department did not respond to a request for comment for this report.
Republicans point out that the Palestinians’ neighbors in Egypt, Jordan and elsewhere in the Middle East aren’t leaping to take them in. Analysts say the population is considered destabilizing, with Palestinian assassination attempts on Jordan’s king, the assassination of Jordan’s prime minister in 1971 and a role in Lebanon’s civil war.
Mr. Tiffany and Mr. Ogles worry that the U.S. has proved ineffective at vetting new arrivals under President Biden.
The lawmakers pointed to the chaotic airlift from Afghanistan. More than 76,000 Afghan citizens were brought to the U.S. as parolees under Mr. Mayorkas’ say-so. That meant they skipped the in-person interviews that security analysts say would have helped weed out criminals.
An inspector general says dozens of people whose names appeared in a secret military terrorism database were also admitted.
The Palestinian situation carries many of the same risks, Republicans say.
Mr. Tiffany and Mr. Ogles have announced that they will team up on a bill prohibiting the government from issuing visas to those holding Palestinian Authority passports. The lawmakers said those documents cannot be trusted.
Sen. Steve Daines, Montana Republican, introduced a similar bill in the Senate after returning from a recent trip to the border. He said Border Patrol agents reportedly have nabbed people from Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen this month.
“Given the recent terror attacks on Israel by Hamas, it is apparent that terrorists will stop at nothing to do harm to the United States and our allies. We must take every action necessary to protect the American people from these threats and force the Biden administration to close our borders to every possible threat to our national security,” Mr Daines said.
Many Republicans say America’s immigration system is vulnerable and are concerned that Hamas operatives or other attackers with ties to Iran could sneak into the U.S. through the porous southern border.
Fox News reporter Griff Jenkins said on social media platform X on Monday that he had confirmed two Iranians encountered at the border earlier this month triggered warnings from the terrorist watchlist.
America’s ability to block Hamas supporters has sparked a row within the Republican presidential field. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the U.S. should refuse all Palestinian refugees and that they were “all antisemitic.”
Nikki Haley, a former ambassador to the United Nations, did not say the U.S. should accept refugees but disputed Mr. DeSantis’ characterization of the population. “Half of Palestinians” don’t support Hamas and “America has always been sympathetic to the fact that you can separate civilians from terrorists,” she said on CNN.
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, another Republican presidential hopeful, said the problem is telling the difference between which ones are antisemitic and which ones are not.
“I would say we’re not bringing anyone. No refugees in from Gaza, period. I think that’s the right decision, not because I think they’re all antisemitic, but I can’t tell the difference,” Mr. Scott said.
He joined calls to revoke student visas from pro-Hamas college campus demonstrators.
That idea was floated Friday by Emilio Gonzalez, who ran U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Bush administration and challenged the Biden administration to flex immigration law to its fullest.
He said colleges and universities could start the process by expelling student visa holders who have demonstrated in support of Hamas. Once they are expelled, he said, their visas should be revoked.
He said legal permanent residents, or green card holders, found to be backing Hamas should be on notice that it could cost them a chance at U.S. citizenship. Immigration law requires naturalization applicants to demonstrate “good moral character,” and Mr. Gonzalez said cheering on slaughters of music festival attendees or families can’t be squared with good character.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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