The suspension came hours after conservative activist Laura Loomer posted videos on social media showing that Palestinians “who claim to be refugees from Gaza” had entered the U.S. via San Francisco and Houston this month.
The U.S. State Department has abruptly suspended all visitor visas for Gaza residents on Saturday, citing the need for a “full and thorough review” of procedures used to issue recent medical-humanitarian visas.
“All visitor visas for individuals from Gaza are being stopped while we conduct a full and thorough review of the process and procedures used to issue a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas in recent days,” the State Department posted on X.
According to official government data, the U.S. issued more than 3,800 B1/B2 visitor visas to holders of the Palestinian Authority travel document in recent months, with 640 visas issued in May alone.
Facilitated by an organization called “Heal Palestine,” these visas permit Palestinians to seek medical treatment in the United States.
Although the State Department did not specify what prompted the review, the suspension came just hours after conservative activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer posted videos on social media claiming Palestinians “who claim to be refugees from Gaza” had entered the U.S. via San Francisco and Houston this month.
“How is allowing Islamic immigrants to come into the US America First policy?” Loomer wrote on X, going on to report further Palestinian arrivals in Missouri and claiming that “several US Senators and members of Congress” had texted her to express their fury.
EXCLUSIVE:
Despite the US saying we are not accepting Palestinian “refugees” into the United States under the Trump administration, I have obtained video footage of Palestinians who claim to be refugees from Gaza coming into the United States via San Francisco and Houston, Texas… pic.twitter.com/tV96TOZRi2
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 15, 2025
Her social media campaign sparked immediate reactions from Republican lawmakers.
Representative Chip Roy of Texas said he would investigate the circumstances, while Representative Randy Fine of Florida described the visa issuances as a “national security risk.”
“BREAKING: Donald Trump and Marco Rubio have immediately halted visas to Gazans that were being issued by deep state actors while we get to the bottom of how this national security risk was allowed,” Fine wrote on X.
Loomer herself celebrated the State Department’s announcement by writing: “It’s amazing how fast we can get results from the Trump administration.”
Gaza has been devastated by war since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken.
Sources have told Reuters that South Sudan and Israel are reportedly discussing a potential plan to resettle Palestinians, though no official confirmation has been provided.
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