Trump administration halts medical visas for Gaza patients over ‘security threat’
New York: The Trump administration has paused approvals of visitor visas for individuals from Gaza, blocking a critical channel for patients seeking medical treatment in the United States.
The decision, reported by the International New York Times on Sunday, affects even young children who had recently arrived in the country with serious injuries.
The State Department mentioned that it would assess the process behind those visas. “All visitor visas for individuals from Gaza are being stopped while we conduct a full and thorough review,” the department said in a statement on the social platform X.
The announcement followed a campaign led by right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who labelled the medical evacuation flights a “national security threat” in a series of posts targeting a nonprofit organisation coordinating the medical evacuations.
“Under the Trump administration, they are actively importing Gazans into the U.S. Clearly, this is not what we voted for,” Loomer said in an interview.
The nonprofit, Ohio-based HEAL Palestine, had earlier described its initiative as the “largest single medical evacuation of injured children from Gaza to the U.S.”
Since launching the effort, the group says it has facilitated treatment for 63 children, including 11 who were flown this month to hospitals in nine American cities. Many of them, aged between 6 and 15, had lost limbs in the ongoing conflict, added the report.
According to HEAL Palestine, once their treatment is complete, the children are expected to travel via Egypt to reunite with their families.
Co-founder Dr Zeena Salman stressed the urgency of the missions, calling them a matter of survival. “These children could not wait. Their lives are at stake, and this mission is about giving them a future,” she said earlier this month.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Tumakuru: Dalit family allegedly prevented from entering temple; accused arrested
Tumakuru: Police in Turuvekere have arrested a 65-year-old man for allegedly obstructing a Dalit family from entering a temple and making caste-based remarks, officials said on Saturday.
The accused, identified as Rajanna, has been booked under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act based on a complaint filed by Rangaramu T. of Thuyalahalli village.
According to the FIR, the incident took place on April 18 around 5:30 pm when Rangaramu T. and his family visited the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Mallur village to offer prayers. It states that the accused allegedly objected to their entry and made remarks referring to caste hierarchy and questioning their presence inside the temple premises.
The FIR further states that the accused made additional remarks asserting that such entry into the temple was not permitted and asked the family to leave. It also mentions that the complainant was subjected to mental harassment through these statements.
Following the complaint, DySP Om Prakash Gowda along with revenue officials and police visited the spot and conducted an inspection.
Further investigation is underway.
