Van Hollen, Gallego, Coons, Call On Secretary Rubio to Ban Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir from the U.S.

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.) sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the Department of State to bar Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering the United States after he publicly taunted and humiliated detained human rights activists.

On May 20th, Minister Ben-Gvir released videos of himself at a detention site where activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla were being held after Israel intercepted the vessel. In the footage, detainees are shown kneeling in rows with their hands zip-tied behind their backs while Ben-Gvir personally confronted and taunted them. His conduct drew public rebukes from both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

"Foreign officials who publicly degrade, intimidate, or encourage the mistreatment of detained civilians should not be welcomed on American soil," the senators wrote. "Upholding the humane treatment of detainees, protecting civilians and humanitarian actors, and opposing the public humiliation of people in custody are core American principles."

The senators argued that the United States cannot credibly defend human rights abroad while extending the privilege of entry to officials who publicly abuse detainees. "The U.S.-Israel relationship does not require silence in the face of humiliation of detainees or conduct that undermines basic human dignity," the senators wrote. "Denying Minister Ben-Gvir a U.S. visa would send a clear and necessary message: individuals who abuse public office to degrade detained civilians should not be granted the privilege of entry into the United States."

The letter asks the State Department to respond by June 12th with answers on whether it has reviewed Ben-Gvir's conduct for potential visa ineligibility, whether any U.S. citizens or green card holders detained in connection with the flotilla interception have been reviewed, and what steps the Department is taking to ensure Americans engaged in humanitarian activity abroad are treated safely and with dignity.

The full text of the letter is availble here and below.

Dear Secretary Rubio:

We write to urge the Department of State to immediately determine Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ineligible for a visa to enter the United States following his public mistreatment of human rights activists detained after Israel's interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla. Foreign officials who publicly degrade, intimidate, or encourage the mistreatment of detained civilians should not be welcomed on American soil.

On May 20, Minister Ben-Gvir released videos from the detention site showing the detained activists kneeling in rows with their hands zip-tied behind their backs, while he taunted them and called for their imprisonment. The footage showed Minister Ben-Gvir personally confronting detainees in custody. His conduct drew public rebukes from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and has prompted condemnation from U.S. allies.

The United States cannot credibly defend human rights abroad while allowing foreign officials who publicly degrade detained civilians to enjoy the privilege of entry into this country. Upholding the humane treatment of detainees, protecting civilians and humanitarian actors, and opposing the public humiliation of people in custody are core American principles. Minister Ben-Gvir's reported conduct is inconsistent with those principles, and risks further inflaming tensions, undermining U.S. diplomacy, and damaging the credibility of our human rights policy worldwide.

We urge the Department to use all available authorities, including Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which permits visa denial where entry would have potentially serious adverse foreign-policy consequences for the United States, and any other applicable visa restriction authorities, to deny Minister Ben-Gvir entry to the United States. We further request that the Department review whether any other officials involved in the mistreatment, public humiliation, or unlawful detention of detained human rights activists from the flotilla should be subject to visa restrictions or other accountability measures.

Specifically, we request answers to the following questions no later than June 17, 2026:

1. Has the Department reviewed Minister Ben-Gvir's conduct toward detained human rights activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla for potential visa ineligibility?

2. Has the Department reviewed the treatment of any U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents who were detained in connection with the interception of the flotilla?

3. Has the Department sought information from allied governments whose nationals were detained or allegedly mistreated?

4. Has the Department reviewed whether any individuals involved in this incident may be subject to visa restrictions or other accountability measures?

5. What steps is the Department taking to ensure that U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and foreign nationals engaged in humanitarian activity are treated safely, lawfully, and with dignity while detained abroad?

The U.S.-Israel relationship does not require silence in the face of humiliation of detainees or conduct that undermines basic human dignity. Denying Minister Ben-Gvir a U.S. visa would send a clear and necessary message: individuals who abuse public office to degrade detained civilians should not be granted the privilege of entry into the United States. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,