Donald Trump has pledged to ban immigrants who support Hamas from the United States.
Donald Trump has vowed to expel immigrants who support Hamas from the US
The controversial politician vowed to prevent entry to the US of anyone who does not believe in Israel's right to exist if he wins a second term in the White House as he issued a firm response to the conflict that has erupted in the Middle East.
Trump also declared that he would send officers to pro-Hamas protests to arrest and deport immigrants who show support for the Palestinian militant group.
The Republican frontrunner also vowed to step up travel bans from "terror-plagued countries" if he triumphs in the 2024 election.
Trump said on a campaign stop in Iowa on Monday (16.10.23) that he would ban immigrants from Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen "or anywhere else that threatens our security" and also read a poem where he likened immigrants to deadly snakes.
He said: "If you want to abolish the state of Israel, you're disqualified, if you support Hamas or the ideology behind Hamas, you're disqualified, and if you're a communist, Marxist, or fascist, you are disqualified."
A tough approach to immigration was a key feature of Trump's White House tenure between 2017 and 2021 - although many of his policies were challenged in court during his presidency.
Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee, described the billionaire's latest pledges as Islamophobic, extreme and designed to exploit "fear and anxiety".
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