Democrats Call on Biden to Prevent Deportation of Palestinians in the US During Gaza Conflict
Dozens congressional Democrats are calling on President Joe Biden to shield Palestinians residing in the United States from deportation as the war in the Middle East continues to escalate. Spearheaded by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), some 103 Democrats signed a letter asking President Biden to designate the Palestinian territories for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and/or authorize Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Palestinians present in the United States. TPS offers temporary legal status to nationals of designated countries experiencing armed conflicts, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions that make their departure or deportation untenable. Meanwhile, DED protects beneficiaries from deportation and is authorized by the president. The Democrats argued that Palestinians living in the United States should not be forced to return to the war-torn Palestinian territories due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
In Gaza, nearly half of all housing units have been damaged or destroyed, and access to food, clean water, and medical care is becoming increasingly difficult. In the West Bank, Democrats argued that the situation does not warrant safe return for its citizens due to recent reports of deadly clashes between Jewish settlers and their Palestinian neighbors. Should the Biden administration grant the Democrats’ requests, it would affect at least 7,241 individuals currently inside the country with travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. Prominent Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have expressed concerns about a potential mass exodus of Palestinians, warning of the impact on the U.S. illegal immigration crisis and domestic extremism.
