House Democrats are urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to allow children injured in Gaza to enter the U.S. to receive emergency medical care. (JULIEN DE ROSA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The letter comes after the State Department abruptly announced earlier this month that it would stop issuing travel visas to people from Gaza, including medical-humanitarian visas, while it reviewed the process that allowed some of those individuals to enter the U.S. Some had already done so before the pause.
"All visitor visas for individuals from Gaza are being stopped while we conduct a full and thorough review of the process and procedures used to issue a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas in recent days," the State Department wrote in a social media post on Aug. 16, without offering additional details.
Rubio has said the change was made after several congressional offices reached out with allegations "that some of the organizations bragging about, and involved in, acquiring these visas have strong links to terrorist groups like Hamas."
MARCO RUBIO HOLDS FIRST MEETING WITH FAMILIES OF HOSTAGES HELD BY HAMAS
Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., led the letter to the State Department requesting a reversal of its decision to halt the approval of all visitor visas for people from Gaza. (Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The letter asks Rubio to specify the national security concerns that sparked the change to visa approvals. The lawmakers also requested a timeline for the agency's review process and asked what safeguards are being considered to prevent the disruption of emergency medical care programs.
The Democrats also called on the department to allow children from Gaza requiring emergency medical attention to be exempt from the pause.
"We would appreciate any clarification regarding the policy’s basis and a reassessment of its impact on vulnerable individuals and families in desperate need," the letter reads.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-democrats-call-rubio-allow-injured-children-from-gaza-us-following-visa-halt