U.S. officials have informed the that the Trump Administration has halted nearly all categories of nonimmigrant visas for individuals holding Palestinian passports.
This widespread suspension signifies an escalation from earlier restrictions on Palestinians seeking entry to the U.S. According to the Times, the policy, communicated through an August 18 cable from the State Department to all U.S. embassies and consulates, temporarily halts visas for medical treatment, university studies, visits to friends or relatives, and business purposes. The duration of this suspension remains uncertain.
“While the Department has determined that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is a competent authority for passport issuing purposes … the United States does NOT recognize the PA as a ‘foreign government,’” the cable stated, as reported by .
Here is what to understand about the new measure.
U.S. Policy Extends Visa Restrictions on Palestinians
The internal message reportedly directed embassies and consulates to reject nonimmigrant visas for “all otherwise eligible Palestinian Authority passport holders.” The cable reportedly added that this guidance also applies to Palestinian passport holders applying for diplomatic or official visas.
Reports indicate that the cable instructs officials to invoke section 221-G of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act when denying visas, which necessitates further review of the applicant by U.S. officials. This policy does not impact individuals with dual nationalities who seek a visa using an alternative passport.
The State Department began the visas of Palestinian officials last week, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly scheduled for this month. Earlier in August, the U.S. also announced it would visitor visas to Palestinians from Gaza, including those seeking humanitarian and medical treatment.
The new measures will affect Palestinian passport holders from Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, or any other location. Palestinian Authority passports have been issued by the Palestinian Ministry of Interior since 1995, pending Israeli approval. The precise number of people currently holding Palestinian passports is unclear.
New Measures Coincide with Increasing Global Criticism of Israel
This directive emerges as an increasing number of nations have denounced Israel’s ongoing of Gaza and what have described as a genocide.
The Israel-Hamas war, nearing its two-year mark, has led to over 60,000 Palestinian deaths and nearly 2,000 Israeli deaths (including those killed in the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel), according to figures from Gaza’s Health Ministry and Israeli authorities. In the absence of independent on-the-ground monitoring, Gaza’s Health Ministry serves as the primary source for casualty data relied upon by humanitarian groups, journalists, and international bodies. Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants and cannot be independently verified by TIME. Data from the Israel Defense Forces indicates a . The figure for Israeli casualties includes both civilians and combatants.
Several U.S. allies have Israel over its of , , and , as well as its of humanitarian aid and the forced displacement of Palestinians. Canada, France, and the U.K., in July that they will at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly—with more countries following suit—prompting from and , .
The Trump Administration has also taken stringent measures against pro-Palestinian activism across the U.S., including introducing that include screening for “anti-Americanism” and pro-Palestinian student activists for immigration action, which critics say has .
A State Department spokesperson told CNN that “Every visa decision is a national security decision, and the State Department is vetting and adjudicating visa decisions for PA passport holders accordingly.” However, this justification is not universally accepted.
Kerry Doyle, who previously served as the lead attorney for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the Biden Administration, questioned to the Times: “Are there true national security concerns? Or is it politically based to support the position of Israel and/or to avoid uncomfortable issues being raised when folks get here if they speak out about the issues over the war?”