Duval Times

Senator Marco Rubio along with Senator Joni Ernst and a group of colleagues have sent a letter to President Joe Biden requesting an explanation about a plan to bring unauthorized Palestinian refugees from Gaza to the United States. The senators expressed concerns about the potential risks to national security posed by this plan.

Rubio stated, "Según informes, los potenciales refugiados deben pasar ‘una serie de exámenes de elegibilidad, médicos y de seguridad’ antes de ingresar a EE.UU. Estas propuestas ignoran que Hamás sigue controlando grandes zonas de la Franja de Gaza, incluyendo la ciudad fronteriza de Rafah, donde hoy residen hasta 1,4 millones de habitantes de Gaza."

The senators highlighted recent reports indicating that refugees would have to undergo various eligibility, medical, and security checks before entering the U.S. They emphasized the continued control of Hamas in Gaza and the potential risks associated with resettling refugees from such areas.

Furthermore, the letter mentioned alarming statistics regarding individuals on the FBI's terrorist watchlist attempting to enter the country. "Los funcionarios fronterizos arrestaron a 169 personas en las listas de vigilancia terrorista del FBI en el año fiscal 2023, una cifra récord que excede el total de los últimos seis años fiscales combinados. Entre los terroristas detenidos se encuentra un combatiente de Hezbollah que pretendía ‘fabricar una bomba’ y se dirigía a Nueva York."

A large group of Republican senators, including Mitch McConnell, John Thune, and Ted Cruz, among many others, signed the letter to President Biden, expressing their shared concerns about the potential national security implications of the refugee resettlement plan.

The letter calls on the Biden administration to provide clarity and justification for the proposed refugee resettlement plan from Gaza, urging a thorough assessment of the security risks involved in bringing individuals from areas under the control of Hamas into the United States.