West Cleveland News

Republican Senators, including JD Vance, have sent a letter to President Biden opposing special immigration protections for Palestinians, expressing concerns about potential radicalization and citing recent events in the Middle East and pro-Palestinian protests as reasons for caution. The letter was submitted as a response to the proposed increase in immigration protections by congressional Democrats.

The senators, led by JD Vance, made their stance clear in their communication with the White House. According to the press release Vance said, ""Palestinian aliens should not be incentivized to travel to, or remain in, the United States. We ask that you remember your oath to protect the lives of American citizens and not import a population of potentially radicalized individuals into the United States."

The senators drew attention towards recent events marked by conflict and unrest. The letter goes on to say, "Following the horrific October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas and Israel’s response, our nation was wracked by pro-Palestinian and, in some cases, pro-Hamas protests. Activists waved foreign flags. They chanted threatening slogans like, ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ … Most horrifying of all, an elderly Jewish man was reportedly murdered by a pro-Palestinian protester in California last week, marking a steep escalation in pro-Palestinian violence."

This request from Republican Senators is set against actions from congressional Democrats seeking increased protections for Palestinian immigrants. The senators' requests come in response to actions by congressional Democrats who, led by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), signed a letter to President Biden last week, seeking a significant increase in immigration protections for Palestinian individuals and aiming to hinder the deportation of those potentially radicalized. The letter says,"Dear President Biden: We urge your Administration to designate the Palestinian territories for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and/or authorize Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Palestinians present in the United States."

The senators concluded their letter with a clear assertion of their stance on the issue. They senators closed their letter by saying, "In our humble opinion, we should be finding ways to reduce the number of terrorist sympathizers in America, not increase them."