No Amnesty for Hamas Sympathizers Act

Bill Number

H.R. 3724

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Immigration

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-04: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Last Updated

2026-06-11T05:06:24Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

This bill, titled the "No Amnesty for Hamas Sympathizers Act," aims to restrict immigration benefits and protections for certain individuals connected to Palestinian-administered territories. It seeks to prevent temporary relief from deportation, asylum, refugee status, and other forms of entry or stay in the United States for aliens (non-citizens) who have habitually lived in these areas or hold documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. The intent is to nullify recent executive actions providing such relief and impose permanent bars through changes to U.S. immigration law.

Key Provisions

• Short Title (Section 1): Names the Act the "No Amnesty for Hamas Sympathizers Act."
• Nullification of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) (Section 2): Cancels a February 2024 presidential memorandum and an April 2024 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notice that granted DED (a temporary pause on deportation) and work authorization to certain Palestinians. It also bans any federal funding from being used to provide DED to aliens who habitually resided in Palestinian-administered territories in Judea and Samaria (West Bank) or Gaza, or who hold a Palestinian Authority passport or travel document.
• Ban on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) (Section 3): Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA, the main U.S. law governing immigration) to exclude individuals who habitually resided in these territories or hold Palestinian Authority documents from TPS, which offers temporary protection from deportation for people from countries facing armed conflict, disasters, or other crises.
• Inadmissibility and Deportability (Section 4): Adds new grounds to the INA making such individuals inadmissible (barred from entering the U.S.) and deportable (subject to removal if already in the U.S.), regardless of other qualifications.
• Limitation on Parole (Section 5): Modifies the INA to prohibit DHS from granting parole (temporary permission to enter or stay in the U.S. for urgent reasons, like humanitarian needs) to these individuals.
• Prohibition on Asylum (Section 6): Updates the INA to bar asylum (protection for those fearing persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or social group) for such individuals.
• Prohibition on Refugee Status (Section 7): Adds to the INA a rule making these individuals ineligible for refugee admission (status for those outside the U.S. fleeing persecution). It also requires their removal if they enter, and mandates rescinding lawful permanent resident (green card) status if they commit a "crime of violence" (a serious offense involving force or threat, as defined in federal criminal law).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The bill introduces categorical exclusions based solely on habitual residence in specified Palestinian territories or possession of Palestinian Authority documents, without exceptions for individual circumstances like persecution or family ties.
• It overrides recent executive actions (DED and related notices) by declaring them void and blocking funding, shifting authority from the President and DHS to Congress-enforced limits.
• Amendments to the INA create new, permanent barriers in multiple areas (TPS, inadmissibility, deportability, parole, asylum, and refugee status), expanding grounds for exclusion beyond current security or criminal concerns to include geographic or documentary ties.
• For refugees who gain permanent residency, it adds a unique retroactive penalty: automatic status revocation for violent crimes, which is not a standard provision for other groups.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: DHS and immigration courts would face increased enforcement duties, including processing removals and denials without funding for prior DED programs. This could strain resources for case backlogs and require updates to visa processing systems.
• On Citizens and Residents: U.S. citizens with family ties to affected individuals may face separation due to deportations or denied entries. It could indirectly affect communities with Palestinian heritage by limiting family reunification or humanitarian entries.
• On International Relations: The bill may complicate U.S. diplomatic ties with the Palestinian Authority and Arab nations, signaling a hardline stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It could hinder U.S. humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza and the West Bank by restricting refugee flows, potentially drawing criticism from international organizations like the United Nations.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Primary: Aliens who habitually resided in Palestinian-administered territories (Judea and Samaria or Gaza) or hold Palestinian Authority documents, including potential refugees, asylum seekers, and temporary visitors—potentially thousands affected by nullified DED and future bars.
• Government Entities: DHS (for enforcement and parole decisions), Department of State (for refugee and visa processing), and immigration judges (for asylum and deportation cases).
• Other Groups: Palestinian Authority (impacted by document-based restrictions); U.S.-based advocacy organizations for immigrants or refugees; and pro-Israel or Palestinian diaspora communities influencing political support.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: The broad, nationality-based exclusions could face court challenges under anti-discrimination laws, as they treat individuals from specific regions differently without individualized assessments. It may conflict with international refugee conventions (like the 1951 Refugee Convention, which the U.S. follows) by mandating removal without persecution reviews.
• Constitutional: Potential equal protection issues under the 14th Amendment, as the bill singles out one ethnic/national group for harsher treatment, raising questions of fairness (though immigration is a federal power with deference to Congress).
• Political: Reinforces a congressional check on executive immigration actions, amid debates over U.S. policy on Hamas (a militant group in Gaza) and the Middle East conflict. It could polarize Congress and public opinion, with supporters viewing it as a security measure and opponents as overly punitive toward civilians in conflict zones.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1]

Cosponsors (2)

Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22], Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-04: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
• 2025-06-04: Introduced in House
• 2025-06-04: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• No Amnesty for Hamas Sympathizers Act — issued 2025-06-04 — PDF (5 pages)