The administration of President Joe Biden is considering bringing some Palestinians to the United States as refugees, according to internal federal government documents obtained by CBS News.
#### What Does the Document Reveal?
In recent weeks, the documents indicate that senior officials from various U.S. federal agencies have discussed the practicality of different options for resettling Palestinians from Gaza who have direct family members who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. One of these proposals involves utilizing a long-standing U.S. refugee admissions program to welcome Palestinians with ties to the U.S. who have managed to flee Gaza and enter neighboring Egypt, according to inter-agency planning documents.
The documents also show that senior U.S. officials have discussed the possibility of evacuating more Palestinians from Gaza and treating them as refugees if they have American relatives. According to CBS News, these plans will require coordination with Egypt, which has so far refused to accept large numbers of Gaza residents. Those who pass a series of eligibility, medical, and security checks would qualify to travel to the United States under refugee status, which provides beneficiaries with permanent residency and resettlement benefits such as housing assistance and a pathway to U.S. citizenship.
#### How to Obtain Refugee Status
To qualify for entry into the U.S. as a refugee, applicants must demonstrate that they are fleeing persecution based on certain factors, such as their nationality, religion, or political views. While some Palestinians can claim they are fleeing oppression from Hamas, others may consider the Israeli military and government—America's main ally and recipient of U.S. aid—as a source of persecution.
#### Significant Political Shift
The proposals to resettle some Palestinians as refugees would represent a shift in U.S. government policy and long-standing practices. Since its inception in 1980, the U.S. refugee program has not been able to resettle Palestinians in large numbers. Over the past decade, the United States has resettled more than 400,000 refugees fleeing violence and war worldwide, with less than 600 of them being Palestinian. In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. welcomed 56 Palestinian refugees, or 0.09% of more than 60,000 refugees resettled during that 12-month period, according to State Department statistics.
#### A Challenge for Biden
While many Democrats are likely to support this move, accepting Palestinians as refugees could pose additional political challenges for the Biden administration regarding the war between Israel and Hamas. The conflict has already exposed divisions within the Democratic Party and triggered massive protests on college campuses and divided communities across America. Resettling Palestinian refugees, even on a small scale, could draw criticism from Republicans, who have sought to raise concerns about immigration and illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, which will shape issues in the upcoming November elections.
In recent years, the Biden administration has significantly increased refugee resettlement, which had dropped to record lows during former President Donald Trump’s administration. U.S. officials set a target of admitting up to 125,000 refugees in fiscal year 2024.
