Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush vote no on bill banning Hamas terrorists from US

Only two House lawmakers on Wednesday voted against a measure seeking to ban Hamas terrorists involved in last Octobers attack on Israel from ever entering the US   Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.).

The No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act, introduced by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), would deem any members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Palestine Liberation Organization or other individuals who participated in or facilitated the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on the Jewish state ineligible to enter the US, even if seeking asylum. 

The bill passed the lower chamber in a 422-2 vote, with Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill) voting present and six members not voting. 

Tlaib, an outspoken critic of Israels war against Hamas and the Biden administrations support for it, argued that the bill is redundant and will be used by Republicans to incite hate.

H.R. 6679 is unnecessary because it is redundant with already existing federal law, the Michigan Democrat said in a statement. Its just another GOP messaging bill being used to incite anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Muslim hatred that makes communities like ours unsafe. Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush voted against a measure seeking to ban Hamas terrorists involved in Octobers attack on Israel from ever entering the US. C-SPAN

Bush, who like Tlaib is a member of the far-left Squad of congressional Democrats, echoed her colleague’s opposition to McClintocks bill. 

I opposed H.R. 6679 because it is a redundant, empty messaging bill Republicans are using to target immigrants and incite anti-Palestinian hate, she said in a tweet. Republicans have ZERO credibility on these issues.

Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have both been designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the State Department since October 1997, as such, their members are already barred from entering the US.  Rep. Cori Bush (center) speaks alongside Rep. Rashida Tlaib (right) at a press conference with activists calling for a ceasefire in Gaza at the House Triangle in front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Annabelle Gordon – CNP / MEGA

However, H.R. 6679 expands the ban to members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and anyone involved in the Oct. 7 attack that is not a member of a terror group. 

It is imperative that Congress ensures that these bad actors will find no refuge in the United States, McClintock said in a statement after the passage of H.R. 6679, which now heads to the Senate.