President Biden on Wednesday shielded thousands of Palestinians in the United States from deportation for the next 18 months, using an obscure immigration authority as he faces mounting criticism over U.S. support for Israel in the Gaza war.

About 6,000 Palestinians are eligible for the reprieve under a program called Deferred Enforced Departure, which allows immigrants whose homelands are in crisis to remain in the United States and work legally.

In a memo obtained by The New York Times, Mr. Biden said that “many civilians remain in danger” in Gaza after the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas.

“Therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Palestinians who are present in the United States,” he said.

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    • Altofaltception@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Only when they realized it could potentially cost them the election.

      If this wasn’t an election year, this would 1000% not be a thing.

      • jonne@infosec.pub
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        9 months ago

        It’s going to be fun when the vote blue no matter who brigade starts accosting Muslim Americans for not voting for the ‘lesser evil’ who didn’t lift a finger to stop the slaughter of Palestinians.

        There’s just not going to be a fix for this between now and the election, or even for generations.