Palestinian Americans held a day of advocacy at the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, meeting with lawmakers to oppose a reported $2.8bn military package to Israel approved by the administration of US President Donald Trump. According to the Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) group, which organized the Tuesday event, more than 300 constituents from across the country met with the offices of more than 100 US lawmakers to address legislative initiatives concerning the war in Gaza, settler violence in the occupied West Bank, and immigration policies affecting Palestinian advocacy.
Legislative Battles Over Arms Transfers and West Bank Violence
The Capitol advocacy day unfolded as Congress faces mounting pressure over US military aid to Israel. According to AJP Action, the newly reported $2.8bn taxpayer-funded package includes 20,000 MK-84 907kg (2,000-pound) bombs and 20,000 BLU-117s. Successive US administrations and Congress have historically resisted conditioning military aid, even as Israel’s war in Gaza approaches its three-year mark next month. To date, nearly 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, with nearly 1,400 killed since a ceasefire agreement went into effect in October 2025.
Democratic lawmakers have increasingly pushed back against these transfers. In July of last year, 26 Democrats in the Senate voted to block certain arms transfers to Israel, marking the first time a majority of Democratic lawmakers in the chamber took that step, followed by 40 votes on similar resolutions in April. In the House, the Block the Bombs Act reached 81 co-sponsors as of August, while Gregory Meeks, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, used his leverage last week to slow congressional clearance of the latest package. Additionally, 22 Democratic senators introduced a resolution last week demanding a State Department investigation into violence by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank, where at least nine US citizens have been killed in recent years.
Constituent Perspectives and Political Shifts
Participants at the Capitol event highlighted shifting public sentiment and personal stakes in US foreign policy. Jenna Escheik, a 19-year-old constituent from Virginia and originally from outside Ramallah in the West Bank, met with offices including Democratic Senator Tim Kaine and Republican Representative Rob Wittman. “I think the main point that we’re trying to get across to every single office is that we’re all proud to be American, and we all have our taxpayer dollars that we just don’t want to see going to wars,” Escheik said.
Yaseen Shaikh, a 22-year-old traveler from Cleveland, Ohio, met with the offices of Republican Senators Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno. Shaikh expressed optimism about changing political dynamics despite both senators consistently voting against limits on arms sales. AJP Action Executive Director Osama Abu Irshaid pointed to a December poll by the IMEU Policy Project, which found that a majority of Republicans under 45 would prefer to support a 2028 presidential candidate who favors reducing taxpayer-funded weapons to Israel. “I think what we’re seeing now is that the dam within the Republican Party is cracking,” Abu Irshaid stated.
Did You Know? According to AJP Action, Tuesday’s Capitol event brought more than 300 constituents from across the country to meet with the offices of over 100 US lawmakers to press for legislative changes regarding Gaza, the West Bank, and domestic immigration enforcement.
Immigration Enforcement and Pro-Palestine Advocacy
Advocates also targeted the Trump administration’s use of immigration law to stifle pro-Palestine advocacy, specifically citing language in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952. The administration has relied on this statute to deport individuals whose presence in the US is deemed to have adverse foreign policy consequences. Salah Sarsour, president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee and a three-decade US resident, spoke at the Capitol after being detained by ICE in April and released in June. Sarsour, who faces deportation proceedings, stated that his legal team maintains he was targeted based on a coerced confession obtained during his detention by Israeli forces as a young man.
Leqaa Kordia, who spent 368 days in ICE detention following campus protests in 2024, also addressed the gathering. “And then it hit me that…the same system that threw me in an ICE jail is the same system that funds and arms the military prisons in Israel,” Kordia said, noting that she also continues to face deportation proceedings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What prompted the Palestinian American advocacy day at the US Capitol?
The event was organized by AJP Action under the reported approval of a new $2.8bn military package for Israel by the Trump administration.
What legislative initiatives did constituents advocate for?
Participants met with lawmakers to discuss initiatives addressing Israel’s war in Gaza, surging settler violence in the occupied West Bank, and the use of immigration law against pro-Palestine advocacy.
What specific immigration statute are advocates seeking to reform?
Advocates are seeking to reform language in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which the administration has cited in deportation efforts targeting individuals over alleged adverse foreign policy consequences.
How might shifting political dynamics within Congress and among younger voters influence future US military aid decisions regarding Israel?
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