No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act of 2025
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Would bar Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad members, along with anyone who participated in or facilitated the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, from admission to the United States — and would strip those individuals of any eligibility for asylum, withholding of removal, or other immigration relief.
The bill also expands an existing admissions bar that currently applies to officers, representatives, and spokespersons of the Palestine Liberation Organization, extending it to all PLO members.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act in three operative ways. First, it would add Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to an existing inadmissibility provision that currently targets officers, representatives, and spokespersons of the Palestine Liberation Organization — and would extend that same bar to cover all PLO members, not just officials. Second, it would add a new inadmissibility ground barring any non-U.S. national who carried out, participated in, planned, financed, provided material support to, or otherwise facilitated the Hamas-initiated attacks on Israel beginning October 7, 2023. Third, it would bar those same individuals from any form of immigration relief, including asylum, withholding of removal, and protections under the Convention Against Torture implementing statute.
The bill would not affect U.S. citizens and would apply only to non-U.S. nationals in visa, entry, and removal proceedings. It would also require the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit an annual report to Congress beginning one year after enactment, detailing how many individuals were found inadmissible or removable under the new ground.
Key provisions
- 1Would add Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to an existing INA inadmissibility bar, and expand the Palestine Liberation Organization bar from officials to all members.
- 2Would make inadmissible any non-U.S. national who carried out, participated in, planned, financed, materially supported, or facilitated the Hamas-initiated attacks on Israel beginning October 7, 2023.
- 3Would bar any non-U.S. national who participated in or facilitated the October 7 attacks from all immigration relief, including asylum, withholding of removal, and Convention Against Torture protections.
- 4Conforming amendment adds the new October 7 inadmissibility ground to the INA's deportability provision so individuals already in the U.S. can also be removed.
- 5Would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to report annually to Congress on the number of individuals found inadmissible or removable under the new October 7 ground.
Who would be affected
Non-U.S. nationals who are members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, any individual determined to have participated in or facilitated the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, and all PLO members — who would now face the same admissions bar previously limited to PLO officers and officials. The Department of Homeland Security would take on a new annual congressional reporting obligation.
Why it matters
Individuals covered by the new bars would be permanently inadmissible and, critically, could not invoke asylum, withholding of removal, or Convention Against Torture protections even if they faced persecution or death upon return to their home country. The PLO expansion is also significant: it would reach rank-and-file members rather than only named officials, potentially a broader population than current law affects.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3) (Sec. 2(a))
Adds Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to an existing admissions bar; expands PLO bar to all members; creates new subparagraph (H) barring October 7 attack participants.
Amends Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1231(b)(3) (Sec. 2(b))
Bars October 7 attack participants from withholding of removal, asylum, and Convention Against Torture protections.
Amends Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(4)(B) (Sec. 2(c))
Conforming amendment adds new subparagraph (H) to the deportability grounds, covering October 7 attack participants.
Amends Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, Section 2242 (Sec. 2(b))
Relief protections under this Convention Against Torture implementing provision would be denied to October 7 attack participants.
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- First annual DHS report to Congress on inadmissible or removable October 7 participants due
Funding and costs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates H.R. 176 would have no significant effect on the federal deficit over the 2025–2035 period, with any changes to direct spending or discretionary costs falling below $500,000.
CBO estimates that H.R. 176 would produce only negligible budgetary effects because current law already makes aliens inadmissible or deportable for engaging in, supporting, or espousing terrorist activity — meaning only a very small number of additional people would be affected by this bill. Any reduction in direct spending (mandatory spending such as emergency Medicaid) from newly ineligible aliens would not be significant over the 2025–2035 period. Discretionary costs for the bill's annual reporting requirement to Congress are estimated at less than $500,000 over 2025–2030, subject to appropriations. CBO found no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates in the bill.
How implementation would work
DHS would apply the new inadmissibility and deportability grounds through existing adjudication channels — consular visa reviews, Customs and Border Protection entry determinations, and immigration court removal proceedings. No new agency or rulemaking process is prescribed; the new subparagraph (H) is self-executing as an amendment to INA §212(a)(3) and the companion relief bar in §241(b)(3). The Secretary of Homeland Security must submit the first annual report to Congress no later than one year after enactment, then annually thereafter, counting individuals found inadmissible or removable under the new ground.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Official CRS summary
Show the CRS summaryHide the CRS summary
This bill imposes immigration-related penalties on certain non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who are involved with terrorism or attacks against Israel.
Under this bill, members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad or Hamas or individuals who participated in or otherwise facilitated the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel may not be admitted into the United States.
The bill also expands an existing admissions bar against officers, representatives, and spokespersons of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Under this bill, all PLO members are barred from admission into the United States.
The bill also prohibits any non-U.S. national who participated in or otherwise facilitated the October 7, 2023, attacks from seeking any immigration-related relief or protections, including (1) protection from being deported to a country where the individual's life or freedom would be threatened, or (2) asylum in the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security must annually report to Congress the number of individuals found to be inadmissible or deportable due to their participation in or facilitation of the attacks.
Legislative subjects
Immigration; Immigration status and procedures; Israel; Middle East; Terrorism
Committee report
H. Rept. 119-27