Deferred Enforced Departure for Certain Palestinians, 12743-12744 [2024-03514]

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• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2024)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 12743-12744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03514]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 34 / Tuesday, February 20, 2024 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 12743]]

                Memorandum of February 14, 2024

                
Deferred Enforced Departure for Certain 
                Palestinians

                Memorandum for the Secretary of State [and] the 
                Secretary of Homeland Security

                Following the horrific October 7, 2023, terrorist 
                attack by Hamas against Israel, and Israel's ensuing 
                military response, humanitarian conditions in the 
                Palestinian territories, and primarily Gaza, have 
                significantly deteriorated. While I remain focused on 
                improving the humanitarian situation, many civilians 
                remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the 
                deferral of removal of certain Palestinians who are 
                present in the United States.

                Pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct the 
                foreign relations of the United States, I have 
                determined that it is in the foreign policy interest of 
                the United States to defer for 18 months the removal of 
                any Palestinian subject to the conditions and 
                exceptions provided below.

                Accordingly, I hereby direct the Secretary of Homeland 
                Security to take appropriate measures to defer for 18 
                months the removal of any Palestinian who is present in 
                the United States on the date of this memorandum, 
                except for those:

                    (1) who have voluntarily returned to the 
                Palestinian territories after the date of this 
                memorandum;
                    (2) who have not continuously resided in the United 
                States since the date of this memorandum;
                    (3) who are inadmissible under section 212(a)(3) of 
                the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. 
                1182(a)(3)) or deportable under section 237(a)(4) of 
                the INA (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(4));
                    (4) who have been convicted of any felony or two or 
                more misdemeanors committed in the United States, or 
                who meet any of the criteria set forth in section 
                208(b)(2)(A) of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1158(b)(2)(A));
                    (5) who are subject to extradition;
                    (6) whose presence in the United States the 
                Secretary of Homeland Security has determined is not in 
                the interest of the United States or presents a danger 
                to public safety; or
                    (7) whose presence in the United States the 
                Secretary of State has reasonable grounds to believe 
                would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy 
                consequences for the United States.

[[Page 12744]]

                I further direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to 
                take appropriate measures to authorize employment for 
                noncitizens whose removal has been deferred, as 
                provided by this memorandum, for the duration of such 
                deferral, and to consider suspending regulatory 
                requirements with respect to F-1 nonimmigrant students 
                who are Palestinians as the Secretary of Homeland 
                Security determines to be appropriate.

                The Secretary of Homeland Security is authorized and 
                directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal 
                Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, February 14, 2024

[FR Doc. 2024-03514
Filed 2-16-24; 8:45 am]
Billing code 4410-10-P