The Trump administration has halted all visitor visas from Gaza, including humanitarian and medical aid visas for Palestinian children, after far-right activist Laura Loomer criticized the U.S. government for allowing several young victims of Israel’s siege on Gaza into the country for medical treatment.

The State Department confirmed Saturday that it will conduct “a full and thorough review” of recent visa approvals, following Loomer’s posts questioning how Palestinian children from Gaza were allowed to travel to the United States for life-saving care.

On Friday, Loomer shared a video of Palestinian children arriving in San Francisco for treatment. She labeled the footage an “exclusive,” despite it being originally posted by the nonprofit HEAL Palestine on August 6. Loomer accused the State Department of going “rogue” and demanded answers from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who oversees Trump’s foreign policy team.

Shortly after her posts went viral among Trump supporters, the administration announced the freeze. Loomer celebrated the move, writing: “It’s amazing how fast we can get results from the Trump administration.”

According to NBC Bay Area, the children include:

In total, 11 children from Gaza had been approved for evacuation to the U.S., making it the largest medical evacuation of Palestinian children to America since Israel’s October 2023 assault.

“These children could not wait,” said Dr. Zeena Salman, pediatric oncologist and co-founder of HEAL Palestine. “Their lives are at stake, and this mission is about giving them a future.”

HEAL Palestine, the nonprofit behind the evacuations, says it has rescued 63 injured children and 148 people overall as of early August. The group works with hospitals abroad after Israel’s blockade left Gaza’s health system in ruins.

“The logistics of getting them out is a nightmare,” HEAL’s Talha Baquar told NBC. “Israel has to approve every departure, and some children have waited months despite holding U.S. medical visas.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) denounced Trump’s move, calling it “intentionally cruel” and a sign of his “Israel First” agenda.

“Blocking Palestinian children injured by American weapons from coming to America for medical treatment shows the cruelty of Trump’s administration,” CAIR’s Nihad Awad said in a statement.

Former U.S. diplomat Andrew Miller also criticized the decision, noting that every Palestinian leaving Gaza is vetted by Israel and U.S. databases. “Any security risk is negligible. This is prejudice, pure and simple,” Miller wrote.

Meanwhile, Loomer and her allies declared victory. “Hopefully all Gazans will be added to President Trump’s travel ban,” she wrote on X. “The U.S. is not the world’s hospital.”

Far-right figures such as Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) and Caroline Wren, an organizer of Trump’s January 6 rally, praised Loomer for pressuring the administration to act.

Trump, who has called Loomer a “free spirit,” has relied on her as an informal adviser since his 2024 election win.

Human rights advocates warn that the decision sets a dangerous precedent for Trump’s immigration policy toward Palestinians. Families already fearful of losing rare humanitarian pathways under Biden now see even those limited options closed under Trump.

“This is whom Republicans are working hard to banish and deny relief,” said immigration attorney Maria Kari, who has represented Palestinian children brought to the U.S. for treatment.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s military assault and blockade on Gaza have killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, including tens of thousands of children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and UNICEF.

As Gaza’s medical system collapses, many fear that Trump’s ban on Gaza medical visas will condemn more children to die without treatment.

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