The president, who is facing mounting criticism over U.S. support for Israel, used an authority that exempts people from deportation if their homeland is in crisis.

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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  • ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    9 months ago

    Glad to see he’s trying to do something good for some Palestinians where he can.

    Am I happy with how much he’s doing for Palestinians? No. Am I happy with him how he’s acting towards Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank? No. He should definitely be doing more - being a bit more outspoken and laying on more public pressure.

    But it’s a delicate situation politically. And anyone who refuses to recognize that is living in a dream. It’s not practical for Biden to go barreling in publicly threatening Israel. His opposition (both domestic and foreign) would wreck him for being too brash. Just as they address taking him for not doing enough. Politically it’s a no-win situation. But if anyone thinks Trump would do better they are totally delusional. God knows what crazy shit would be exacerbating the situation if he was in the Oval Office right now.

    It’s a fucking tragedy that innocent Palestinians are dieing and being murdered there. Just as it was a fucking tragedy that people from Israel were killed and kidnapped last October. And it needs to stop, obviously. I’m glad people are protesting and speaking up. The anti-semitism and anti-islamic rhetoric that is coming up from both these protests and counter-protests is not helpful. But these protests are important. They are the voices for the vulnerable.

    However, the rhetoric coming from both edges of the political spectrum is myopic and facile, and is not helping.