The US government has halted the issuance of visitor visas for Palestinians from Gaza after a far-right commentator raised objections to wounded civilians being flown to America for medical treatment.
“Effective immediately, all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza are suspended pending a full review of the procedures used to grant a limited number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas in recent days,” the State Department announced on X.
The move triggered outrage from Palestinian aid organisations. The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund warned that the decision could have “devastating and irreversible” consequences for children who rely on medical evacuations to access life-saving treatment abroad.
“These evacuations are a lifeline for Gaza’s children, many of whom face death or unbearable suffering due to the collapse of local health infrastructure,” the group said.
The policy reversal followed pressure from Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and ally of President Donald Trump, who denounced the visa programme and demanded it be shut down. Without presenting evidence, she alleged that evacuated patients were linked to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Loomer specifically targeted HEAL Palestine, a US-based charity that recently coordinated what it described as the “largest single medical evacuation” of injured Gazan children — bringing 11 critically wounded children and their families to the United States.
She also claimed to have spoken with staff for Republican Senator Tom Cotton, chair of the Senate intelligence committee, about how the visas were issued. After the suspension was announced, Loomer publicly took credit, thanking Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while Congressman Randy Fine praised her for her role in the decision — underscoring the influence of fringe activists on US policy.
