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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Rep. Burgess Owens co-sponsored a bill that would prevent President Joe Biden from issuing visas to Palestinians to come to the U.S.
"Following Hamas' barbaric massacre of innocent civilians, including 30 Americans, allowing unvetted Palestinians with ties to terrorism to resettle in our communities gravely compromises our national security," said Owens, a Republican who represents Utah's 4th Congressional District, according to a press release obtained by the Deseret News.
The new bill comes after Hamas attacked civilians in Israel on Oct. 7, which led Israel to declare war on Hamas and prepare for a ground invasion of Gaza. An estimated 3,000 civilians have been killed in Gaza and at least 1,400 Israelis have been killed.
What is the GAZA Act?
The legislation, dubbed the GAZA Act, which stands for Guaranteeing Aggressors Zero Admissions Act, would block the Department of Homeland Security from allowing Palestinians into the U.S. through the parole program, which allows foreign nationals to remain in the country temporarily.
"Before looking to our shores, the Arab nations in the region that support the Palestinian cause must first do their part. The GAZA Act bolsters national security and protects our homeland from the horrors of terrorism," said Owens.
Gaza is run by Hamas, an organization designated by the U.S. government as a foreign terrorist organization.
Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wisc., and Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., introduced the legislation Friday.
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, a grassroots civil rights organization, said in a statement on X that the proposed bill "is a shameful display of politicizing human suffering."
"Over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, the majority of whom are refugees and half of them children, are enduring dire humanitarian conditions," the statement added.
An estimated 450,000 immigrants from Afghanistan, Ukraine and Latin America have come to the U.S. through the parole program, according to a report from a bipartisan pro-immigration group.
