3 weeks ago
Update connected imaginable Israel-Hamas cease-fire
The Biden management is considering bringing definite Palestinians to nan U.S. arsenic refugees, a move that would connection a imperishable safe haven to immoderate of those fleeing war-torn Gaza, according to soul national authorities documents obtained by CBS News.
In caller weeks, nan documents show, elder officials crossed respective national U.S. agencies person discussed nan practicality of different options to resettle Palestinians from Gaza who person contiguous family members who are American citizens aliases imperishable residents.
One of those proposals involves utilizing nan decades-old United States Refugee Admissions Program to invited Palestinians pinch U.S. ties who person managed to flight Gaza and participate neighboring Egypt, according to nan inter-agency readying documents.
Top U.S. officials person besides discussed getting further Palestinians retired of Gaza and processing them arsenic refugees if they person American relatives, nan documents show. The plans would require coordination pinch Egypt, which has truthful acold refused to invited ample numbers of group from Gaza.
Those who walk a bid of eligibility, aesculapian and information screenings would suffice to alert to nan U.S. pinch exile status, which offers beneficiaries imperishable residency, resettlement benefits for illustration lodging assistance and a way to American citizenship.
While nan eligible organization is expected to beryllium comparatively small, nan plans being discussed by U.S. officials could connection a lifeline to immoderate Palestinians fleeing nan Israel-Hamas war, which section nationalist wellness authorities opportunity has claimed nan lives of much than 34,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians successful Gaza.
Displaced Palestinians beryllium extracurricular to flight nan searing power successful their campy tents successful Deir El-Balah, successful nan cardinal Gaza Strip, connected April 28, 2024.
Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Israeli authorities launched a subject violative and aerial bombardment of Gaza aft Hamas staged an unprecedented onslaught crossed Israel connected Oct. 7, sidesplitting astir 1,200 people, astir of them civilians. Hamas militants besides abducted much than 200 people, galore of whom proceed to beryllium successful captivity.
CBS News has reached retired to nan White House, Department of Homeland Security and State Department for comment.
The proposals to resettle definite Palestinians arsenic refugees would people a displacement successful longstanding U.S. authorities argumentation and practice. Since its inception successful 1980, nan U.S. exile programme has not resettled Palestinians successful ample numbers.
Over nan past decade, nan U.S. has resettled much than 400,000 refugees fleeing unit and warfare crossed nan globe. Fewer than 600 were Palestinian. In fiscal twelvemonth 2023, nan U.S. welcomed 56 Palestinian refugees, aliases 0.09% of nan much than 60,000 refugees resettled during those 12 months, State Department statistics show.
While galore Democrats would apt support nan move, admitting Palestinians arsenic refugees could spur moreover much governmental challenges for nan Biden management related to nan Israel-Hamas war. The conflict has already exposed rifts wrong nan Democratic Party, triggered monolithic protests connected assemblage campuses and divided communities crossed America.
To suffice to participate nan U.S. arsenic a refugee, applicants person to beryllium they are fleeing persecution based connected definite factors, specified arsenic their nationality, belief aliases governmental views. While immoderate Palestinians could opportunity they are fleeing repression by Hamas, others could place nan subject and authorities of Israel, a apical U.S. state and recipient of American aid, arsenic a persecutor.
The resettlement of Palestinian refugees, moreover if mini successful scale, could besides garner disapproval from Republicans, who person sought to make concerns astir migration and forbidden crossings astatine nan U.S.-Mexico separator defining issues successful November's elections.
Soon aft nan Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas and nan commencement of Israel's violative successful Gaza, starring Republicans, including statesmanlike candidates, said nan U.S. should not invited Palestinian refugees, claiming that they are antisemitic and imaginable nationalist information risks.
In caller years, nan Biden management has dramatically accrued exile resettlement, which was slashed to grounds lows by erstwhile President Donald Trump. U.S. officials person group a extremity of admitting up to 125,000 refugees successful fiscal twelvemonth 2024, which ends astatine nan extremity of September.
Camilo Montoya-Galvez
Camilo Montoya-Galvez is nan migration newsman astatine CBS News. Based successful Washington, he covers migration argumentation and politics.
