Rep. Ilhan Omar Condemns Bill That Would Expel Palestinians From U.S.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Ilhan Omar and the two other Muslim members of Congress released a joint statement this week condemning a new bill introduced in the House to expel Palestinians from the U.S.

Reps. André Carson, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib also called out "the unchecked anti-Muslim hate speech poisoning political discourse."

"As the three Muslim Members of Congress, we are horrified by Rep. Ryan Zinke’s recently introduced bill to pause all visas, refugee status and granting of asylum for individuals holding a passport issued by the Palestinian Authority (PA) indefinitely—and to revoke others," the statement read Tuesday.

"Let’s be clear: using the full power of the state to target and persecute a particular ethnic group or nationality is fascism and pure bigotry. This legislation—by a former cabinet official no less—directly violates the U.S. Constitution, and would illegally destroy the lives of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian immigrants who live in and contribute to American society."

The three representatives said the legislation "is part of a growing tide of bigoted anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian hate pervading our politics."

"This dangerous rhetoric is already costing lives—as the murder of 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy Wadea Al-Fayoume in Chicago so tragically highlights, plus the over 10,000 people murdered in Gaza, almost half of whom are innocent children," the statement continued.

"This targeting does not just put Palestinian-American lives at risk, but all Muslim-Americans, Arab-Americans, Sikhs, and other people of color who share our identities."

Zinke, a Republican from western Montana, said his "Safeguarding Americans from Extremism (SAFE) Act" works to prevent "Palestinian terrorists" from abusing the U.S. legal immigration system.

“This legislation keeps America safe," Zinke said in a statement. "I don’t trust the Biden Administration any more than I do the Palestinian Authority to screen who is allowed to come into the United States."