Republican U.S. senators have written to the Biden administration, urging increased security measures at the U.S.-Canada border over concerns that Canada has admitted Hamas-sympathizing Gazan refugees.
In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the senators criticized Canada’s temporary measures allowing Gazans entry, warning that insufficient vetting could let individuals with terrorist ties cross into the U.S.
“Given the deep penetration of Gazan society by Hamas, it would be irresponsible for the U.S. to not take necessary heightened precautions,” they stated.
The letter, led by Senator Marco Rubio, asked the Biden administration to ensure rigorous screening for those entering from Canada.
It also requested detailed protocols on how Palestinian nationals attempting to enter the U.S. are handled, noting that over 233 suspected terrorists have been encountered at the northern border this fiscal year, a figure surpassing previous years.
The senators urged coordination with the U.S. Department of State and demanded answers to several questions by August 8, 2024, regarding the entry and asylum process for Palestinian nationals at U.S. borders. Among the questions were:
- “When a Palestinian national, or Canadian TRV holder, attempts to enter and/or claim asylum at a U.S. port of entry, what is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s protocol to either permit or deny their entry?”
- “If a Gazan claims asylum at the southern or northern border, under what circumstance would the Department of Homeland Security release the individual into the U.S.?”
Signatories include Senators Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz, Mike Braun, Joni Ernst, and Josh Hawley.
This concern follows a recent incident involving a Canadian citizen, Zachareah Adam Quraishi, who was identified as the attacker in a stabbing incident in Israel. Quraishi, who had arrived in Israel on a tourist visa, was reported to have shouted “free Palestine” as he charged at security personnel with a kitchen knife. Quraishi was quickly shot dead.
