Newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio has paused the Biden administration’s refugee operations and is set to ramp up vetting on visas from certain countries after President Donald Trump’s executive orders signed Monday.
According to Fox News, an official said Rubio has directed the Department of State to halt all refugee operations, including refugee resettlement programs.
Visa applications from countries deemed dangerous will be getting enhanced vetting with Rubio citing several executive orders recently signed that will realign the U.S. refugee admissions program, and another that will protect the U.S. from foreign terrorists and national security and public safety threats.
Fox News further reported Trump’s refugee executive order stipulates that “the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security may jointly determine to admit aliens to the United States as refugees on a case-by-case basis, in their discretion, but only so long as they determine that the entry of such aliens as refugees is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the United States.”
During his confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate, Rubio made it clear that those who support terrorist organizations like Hamas and other terror networks, should not be granted a visa to enter the U.S. He further noted if it is found that a visa holder is a supporter of any terrorist organization, the visa should then be revoked.
“Listen, my view on this is one of common sense. If you apply for a visa to come into the United States, and in the process of being looked at, it comes to light that you’re a supporter of Hamas, we wouldn’t let you in,” Rubio said.
Rubio added he intends to “be very forceful” on this issue to keep terrorist sympathizers out, and to remove those who reveal themselves once inside the U.S.
“If we knew you were a supporter of Hamas, we would not give you a visa. So now that you’ve got the visa and you’re inside the U.S., now we realize you’re a supporter of Hamas, we should remove your visa,” Rubio said, “If you cannot come in because you’re a supporter of Hamas, you should not be able to stay on a visa if you’re a supporter of Hamas. That’s how I view it, and I think that’s just an issue of common sense, and I intend to be very forceful about that.”
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