The Trump administration has imposed a broad suspension on visitor visas for holders of Palestinian Authority passports, effectively halting entry for thousands seeking medical care, education, or family visits in the United States, the New York Times reported on Sunday.
The directive, issued via a State Department cable on August 18, instructs consular officers to deny nonimmigrant visas under section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The move expands earlier restrictions targeting Palestinian Arabs from Gaza and now includes those from Judea and Samaria and the diaspora. Palestinian Arabs with dual nationality or existing visas are exempt, noted the Times.
The visa freeze coincides with growing momentum among Western nations to recognize a Palestinian state - an initiative condemned by Israel and opposed by some US officials. France, Canada, and potentially Britain are expected to announce recognition at the upcoming UN General Assembly.
The report comes two days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Palestinian Authority officials, including chairman Mahmoud Abbas, would be barred from attending the Assembly, citing their failure to uphold commitments and efforts to gain unilateral recognition.
Abbas’s office expressed “deep regret and astonishment,” urging the administration to reverse course.
The State Department maintains the measures are in line with US law and national security interests.