WASHINGTON (AP) — A day after conservative activist Laura Loomer shared videos on social media showing children from Gaza arriving in the United States for medical treatment, the State Department announced that it would halt all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza pending an investigation. This decision comes amid rising concerns about how these temporary medical-humanitarian visas were issued.
On Saturday, the State Department confirmed that the prohibition on visas would remain in effect while they reviewed the issuance process for “a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas” granted in recent days. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Sunday during an appearance on “Face the Nation” that multiple congressional offices had raised questions regarding the matter.
Rubio revealed that although only a limited number of those visas were issued, they were given to children who required medical care but were accompanied by adults. He alleged that some organizations involved in securing these visas had "strong links to terrorist groups like Hamas," although he did not provide specific evidence or name any of these organizations. Consequently, he reiterated that the program would be paused while the vetting process of these visas is reassessed.
Loomer’s videos, uploaded on Friday on X, highlighted children arriving earlier this month in San Francisco and Houston for medical care through an organization named HEAL Palestine. She criticized the U.S. stance of not accepting Palestinian "refugees" under the Trump administration, questioning how these individuals from Gaza were permitted to enter the country. Loomer labeled the situation a “national security threat” and demanded accountability for those who authorized the visas, tagging influential figures including Rubio, former President Donald Trump, and various state governors.
While Trump has previously downplayed Loomer’s influence within his administration, the timing of her public criticisms often coincided with the swift exit or removal of certain officials. The State Department chose not to comment on the number of visas that had already been granted or whether Loomer’s posts influenced their recent decision to suspend the visa program for people from Gaza.
HEAL Palestine responded to the State Department's announcement with disappointment, clarifying that they are an American humanitarian nonprofit organization dedicated to providing urgent aid and medical treatment to children in Palestine. In a statement, the organization emphasized that its program is strictly for medical treatment, not for refugee resettlement. A Facebook post from HEAL Palestine indicated that they had recently evacuated a child from Gaza who had arrived in St. Louis for treatment, marking the fifteenth child brought to the U.S. in just two weeks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has consistently advocated for increased medical evacuations from Gaza, which has faced significant destruction to its healthcare infrastructure due to the ongoing conflict. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted on social media that more than 14,800 patients are still in need of lifesaving medical care unavailable within Gaza. He called on additional countries to provide support and remarked, “Ceasefire! Peace is the best medicine."
A WHO report indicated that prior to the war, 50 to 100 patients were routinely departing Gaza for medical treatment each day, and the organization has urged for a higher rate of approval from Israeli authorities to facilitate more evacuations.
As the humanitarian crisis continues, the situation underscores the complex interplay of politics, healthcare needs, and security concerns amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
