Jayapal, Schakowsky Statement on Announcement of DED for Palestinians

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, and Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) released the following joint statement after the announcement that the Biden Administration would heed their call to designate Deferred Enforcement Departure (DED) for Palestinians:

“The Biden Administration is taking a critically important step to ensure that Palestinians in the United States today are not forced to return to an active war zone. Since October 7th, 2023, more than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. For those who have survived the constant bombing and intense fighting, one in four households in Gaza are facing catastrophic levels of hunger according to the World Food Programme. 

“We applaud this step and hope to see further efforts from the Administration to ensure that diplomacy, peace, and security are prioritized in the Middle East.”

The State Department currently warns that U.S. Citizens should not travel to Gaza ‘due to terrorism and armed conflict,’ and providing DED is an important step to ensure that Palestinians are not forced to return to dangerous conditions. 

Jayapal and Schakowsky led 81 members of the House of Representatives in this effort, while Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) led 22 in the Senate. 

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Issues: Immigration