The Biden administration is reportedly considering the possibility of admitting certain Palestinians into the United States as refugees, offering them a permanent safe haven. This move would provide refuge to individuals fleeing the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip. Internal documents from various U.S. federal agencies, obtained by CBS News, indicate that senior officials have been discussing the feasibility of resettling Palestinians from Gaza who have immediate family members who are American citizens or permanent residents.
According to the planning documents, one proposal under consideration involves utilizing the United States Refugee Admissions Program, a long-standing program, to welcome Palestinians with U.S. ties who have managed to escape Gaza and enter neighboring Egypt. The documents also suggest that U.S. officials have explored the option of evacuating additional Palestinians from Gaza and processing them as refugees if they have American relatives. However, such plans would require coordination with Egypt, which has thus far been reluctant to accept large numbers of individuals from Gaza.
Individuals who pass a series of eligibility, medical, and security screenings would qualify to travel to the U.S. with refugee status. This status offers beneficiaries permanent residency, resettlement benefits such as housing assistance, and a pathway to American citizenship.
While the number of eligible individuals is expected to be relatively small, the proposals being discussed could provide a crucial opportunity for some Palestinians seeking to escape the violence of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Local health authorities in Gaza have reported that the conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 34,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack across Israel on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths, the majority of whom were civilians. Hamas militants also abducted more than 200 individuals, many of whom remain in captivity.
This potential initiative to resettle certain Palestinians as refugees represents a departure from longstanding U.S. government policy and practice. Since its establishment in 1980, the U.S. refugee program has not resettled Palestinians in significant numbers.
Over the past decade, the U.S. has resettled more than 400,000 refugees fleeing violence and conflict worldwide, with fewer than 600 being Palestinian. In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. admitted 56 Palestinian refugees, accounting for only 0.09% of the more than 60,000 refugees resettled during that period, according to State Department statistics.
