Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) is refloating calls to deport Hamas supporters residing in the US after President Joe Biden announced sanctions against certain Israeli citizens.
According to a State Department communication, President Biden’s sanctions respond to certain Israeli citizen’s involvement in attacks against civilian populations in the West Bank.
The individuals named in the sanctions package were allegedly making “threats of violence against civilians, intimidating civilians to cause them to leave their homes, destroying or seizing property, or engaging in terrorist activity in the West Bank.”
Biden’s sanctions target David Chai Chasdai, Einan Tanjil, Shalom Zicherman, and Yinon Levi for their role in allegedly attacking West Bank civilians and their property.
Chasdai, who has been prosecuted by Israeli authorities, allegedly led a riot, which involved setting property on fire and assaulting Palestinian civilians, leading to one death.
All the individuals named will have any personal assets under US control frozen and reported to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). No US persons may perform any transactions with the sanctioned individuals or any entity controlled by them.
Senator Rubio responded to President Biden’s decision by inquiring upon the president’s failure to remove Hamas supporters from US soil.
“When are you going to start deporting foreigners here on a visa who support Hamas?” asked Rubio via X.
When are you going to start deporting foreigners here on a visa who support Hamas? https://t.co/St8lBifeY3
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 2, 2024
Last October, Rubio filed a resolution calling for the cancellation of visas of foreign nationals supporting Hamas.
“What I am saying is common sense,” said Rubio. “You’re a visitor…You’re here because we gave you a visa to be here temporarily. And now you’re out there defending and supporting Hamas, a terrorist organization. You need to go.”
Rubio’s statements are directed at professors, students, and any individuals in the US with a temporary residence visa, who publicly support Hamas or others in their war against Israel.
The resolution was subsequently blocked by Democrat Senators.
