In her post, Loomer accused one of the leaders of Heal Palestine of “propping up Palestinian NGOS that have been accused of having Islamic terror ties.”
Heal Palestine said it was “distressed” by the State Department’s decision.
“HEAL Palestine is an American humanitarian nonprofit organization delivering urgent aid and medical care to children in Palestine, including sponsoring and bringing severely injured children to the U.S. on temporary visas for essential medical treatment not available at home,” the nonprofit said in a statement. “This is a medical treatment program, not a refugee resettlement program.”
Dr. Mohammad Subeh, a Palestinian American emergency doctor based in the Bay Area who aided in the evacuation and volunteers with Heal Palestine, told KQED that he was bewildered by the department’s decision because of how much vetting happens before children are brought over.
“It made it seem that the State Department had no clue as to the current processes in place to actually approve or disapprove the visa issuance for these children and their guardians. It’s just not in line with reality,” Subeh said. “The most troubling thing is allowing the incitement of fear and hatred to control how we view these children in very dehumanizing terms.”
Subeh said that five children he treated in Gaza have since been evacuated, including some of the children who flew into SFO, but that more than 5,000 are still waiting for a higher level of care.
“The pause of the last 48 hours just halts any and all cases in the pipeline to potentially be evacuated,” Subeh continued. “It’s not an easy task to come here for this type of treatment. So, for all of those hundreds, if not thousands, who are already in the process of being vetted, all of those cases have come to a complete halt.”
Rep. Sam Liccardo (D-San José) said on X that each day “we halt visas for children in dire need of medical assistance is unconscionable and cruel.”
Loomer gave herself credit for the State Department’s announcement, celebrating her post as the reason the visas were halted.
“This is fantastic news,” Loomer wrote on X. “Hopefully, all GAZANS will be added to Trump’s travel ban.”
KQED’s María Fernanda Bernal contributed to this report.
