Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) unveiled bipartisan legislation on Friday aimed at barring anyone linked to Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel from entering the United States or receiving immigration benefits.
The No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act comes in the wake of Hamas’ brutal killing and subsequent release of four hostages—including a young mother, her two toddlers, and a journalist—last week, intensifying calls to tighten U.S. borders against terrorist affiliates.
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The bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to explicitly prohibit admission and relief for individuals who “carried out, participated in, planned, financed, afforded material support to, or otherwise facilitated” the October 7 attacks, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and sparked a devastating war.
“The Biden-Harris administration released nearly 100 individuals on the terrorist watchlist into our country over the last four years,” Blackburn said, “and we need to make certain anyone tied to Hamas is not allowed to enter or remain in the U.S.” She hailed the measure as a “common-sense” step to ensure “no migrant tied to Hamas and its savage terrorist attack … can enter our nation or receive immigration benefits on the taxpayer dime.”
Rosen, a co-sponsor, echoed the urgency. “No one who participated in Hamas’s brutal October 7 terrorist attack should be allowed to enter the United States,” she said. “I’ll always work across the aisle to keep our nation safe.”
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The legislation would bar such individuals from asylum, deportation relief, or other immigration perks, while mandating an annual DHS report to Congress on those denied entry or removed under its provisions.
The move follows heightened scrutiny of U.S. immigration vetting after the Biden administration’s tenure, during which critics—including Blackburn—claim lax policies allowed potential threats to slip through.
The bill’s introduction aligns with President Donald Trump’s renewed push for stringent border security, though it stands out for its bipartisan backing amid a polarized Congress. It also responds to Hamas’ latest actions, which have reignited outrage over the group’s tactics and its designation as a terrorist organization by the U.S. since 1997.
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In practical terms, the legislation strengthens existing inadmissibility grounds under immigration law, adding a specific carve-out for Hamas’ October 7 orchestrators and supporters.
It also tweaks deportation rules to ensure no loopholes remain for those already in the U.S. “This is about closing gaps and sending a clear message,” a Senate aide familiar with the bill told reporters, speaking anonymously. “Hamas terrorists don’t get a free pass here.”
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