House approves McClintock bill barring October 7 attackers of Israel from U.S.

David Lightman, The Sacramento Bee on Dec 4, 2025

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The House unanimously passed legislation this week to bar noncitizens involved with the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel from being allowed into the United States or be permitted to remain in this country if already here.

The bill, which now goes to the Senate, was sponsored by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove.

He said the law would “stop Hamas terrorists and their supporters who perpetrated the most violent attack against innocent civilians since the Holocaust from entering our country…”

Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. That triggered an Israeli counterstrike in Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry estimates more than 70,000 people there have been killed since the conflict began.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October, as Hamas freed the remaining living hostages and has since handed over the remains of most of the others.

McClintock’s bill would bar from the United States “any alien who carried out, participated in, planned, financed, afforded material support to, or otherwise facilitated any of the attacks against Israel initiated by Hamas beginning on October 7, 2023.”

The bill follows the arrest two months ago of Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, a Gazan living in Lafayette, Louisiana. He was arrested in October for what the Justice Department said was “his alleged involvement in the Hamas-led terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.” He has pleaded not guilty.

Democrat raises concerns

During the House debate, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, raised some concerns about McClintock’s legislation.

He agreed that “no one affiliated with Hamas nor anyone involved in the horrific lawless attacks of October 7 should be admissible in the United States or eligible for any immigration benefits whatsoever.”

But, he said, current laws already deal with such situations.

“We already plainly have the legal tools to keep any noncitizens involved with Hamas, as well as any noncitizen who was involved in the horrific terror attacks of October 7 out of this country forever, or to deport them from the United States if they are already somehow here.”

He also had concerns about naming a specific incident or group in the legislation because it could mean new legislation could become needed every time a new terrorist group or event emerges.

The bill, Raskin said, had “redundant language and redundant legislation just to make a point.”

McClintock makes his case

McClintock insisted the new law was needed.

“New laws would be helpful to prevent a future Joe Biden from making a mockery of our sovereignty and reopening our borders,” he said.

The bill “would be helpful to give a future President Donald Trump the added tools to quickly and expeditiously prevent these same groups from infiltrating our nation, preying on our communities and attacking our people.”

In the end, the bill passed without any dissent. “We strongly support this legislation today, whose purpose is incontestable and essential,” Raskin said.

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