‘Squad’ Democrats Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib vote against bill to ban Hamas terrorists from US
Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Rep. Cori Bush were the only two members of Congress to vote against the bill
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Squad" Democrats Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo. and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. were the only two representatives who voted against a bill barring Hamas terrorists from entering the United States.
The bill, HR 6679, which was also called the "No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act," expanded a U.S. ban on Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) officers to include all PLO members.
The bill, which was introduced by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Penn., also barred Hamas members and other participants in the Oct. 7 attack from the U.S.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The legislation states that any person who "participated in, planned, financed, afforded material support to, or otherwise facilitated" the October 7 attack on Israel or attacks after that, "shall be ineligible for any relief under the immigration laws."
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United States Representatives Rashida Tlaib (2nd L), Cori Bush (L) hold a banner demanding a ceasefire and condemning the Israeli attacks on Gaza, in front of U.S. Capitol in United States on November 8, 2023. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
"Any alien who carried out, participated in, planned, financed, afforded material support to, or otherwise facilitated any of the attacks against Israel initiated by Hamas beginning on October 7, 2023, is inadmissible," the bill states.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}While 422 members of the House voted to pass the bill, three far-left members voted either against the bill or voted present.
Bush and Tlaib voted against the bill while Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., voted present.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., speaks during a demonstration calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, Oct. 18, 2023, near the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades, File)
In a press release, Tlaib said that the bill was "just another" Republican bill used to "incite" hatred.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"H.R. 6679 is unnecessary because it is redundant with already existing federal law," Tlaib said.
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"It’s just another GOP messaging bill being used to incite anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Muslim hatred that makes communities like ours unsafe," the Democrat representative said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., delivers the Working Families Party response to President Biden's State of the Union address Tuesday. (Working Families Party/YouTube/Screenshot)
Rep. Ramirez said that she voted present because she is "done with political games."
"I voted present because I am done with political games," Ramirez said. "The majority is wasting time bringing a bill that is already current law. There are already no immigration benefits for Hamas terrorists.
"After participating for 15 hours of a sham impeachment, I could not stomach another bill only introduced to score cheap political points, politicize immigration, and divide our communities. Like the Republican’s sham impeachment, this bill does not meaningfully address border security nor further protect our communities. H.R.6679 is unnecessary," Ramirez said. "It’s a waste of resources and time. And I’m not playing along."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Democrat Reps. Cori Bush, D-Mo., left, and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., right. (Getty Images)
Tlaib and Bush are among a small but vocal minority of Democrats critical of Israel in the ongoing conflict.
Tlaib was among the first to condemn Israel for the now-discredited claim that it struck a hospital in Gaza with an airstrike and killed some 500 people.
U.S. intelligence said that the blast originated from a rocket fired by militants in Gaza that fell short.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tlaib, Bush, and Ramirez did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.