First on FoxNineteen Republican lawmakers have known as on overseas college students in the USA on momentary visas who’ve expressed help for Hamas to have their visas revoked and deported from the nation — within the wake of lethal terrorist assaults on Israel.
Reps. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., each members of the anti-Woke caucus, directed the letter to Homeland Safety Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, expressing concern over experiences of pro-Hamas demonstrations.
“We’re writing to request info concerning the potential illegal presence on U.S. soil of non-immigrant overseas nationals who’ve supported terrorist exercise,” they mentioned.
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Hamas supporters must be pushed out of the US, says MP Geoff Duncan, RSC ((Invoice Clark/CQ-Roll Name, Inc by way of Getty Photographs))
They level out that college students on pupil visas might be disqualified below the Immigration and Nationality Act from qualifying for a visa in the event that they help or espouse terrorist exercise. Though that is often checked on the time of making use of for the visa, holders may also have their visa canceled in the event that they violate the phrases of their visa.
Lawmakers highlighted quite a lot of pro-Palestinian protests at universities and schools throughout the nation, together with experiences of beheading gestures and statements praising terrorists as “liberation fighters” and “martyrs who sacrificed their lives for liberation.”
The USA has categorized Hamas as a terrorist group since 1997.
“Slogans and memes of different pupil protesters, such because the paragliding terrorist, are plausibly interpreted as an endorsement or endorsement of terrorism. Likewise, praising mass killing as ‘artistic’ or ‘brave’, and glorifying the perpetrators of those atrocities as ‘martyrs’ is… Very logical. “A transparent endorsement of terrorism and terrorist organizations,” the lawmakers say.
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Rep. Jim Banks, Republican of Indiana, joined Duncan in urging the administration to take motion in opposition to overseas nationals who help Hamas. (CQ-Roll Name/Getty Photographs)
They be aware that a few of these concerned are seemingly holders of F-1 pupil visas or J-1 change customer visas. Greater than 437,000 F-1s had been issued in fiscal 2022 and 315,000 J-1s had been issued.
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“Worldwide college students contribute a lot to our society, however people who advocate terrorist violence in opposition to civilians aren’t welcome right here. If the visa is issued earlier than DHS discloses proof of the visa holder’s ineligibility below Part 212(a)(3)B of “Within the pursuits of nationwide safety, his visa must be instantly revoked and he ought to face expedited deportation proceedings.”
They ask the businesses whether or not they have any cause to imagine that any nonimmigrant visa holders have been rendered ineligible due to their participation on this help for Hamas, and whether or not the company has taken any steps to this point to revoke or assessment the visas consequently.
The push has the help of Heritage Motion, which praised lawmakers for his or her work on the matter.
The letter comes amid rising considerations amongst Republicans in regards to the presence of terrorists or supporters of terrorism in the USA from overseas. Many Republicans in each the Home and Senate have warned of the potential for terrorists to succeed in the USA throughout the southern border — a menace that the Division of Homeland Safety has acknowledged, whereas additionally highlighting the motion it’s taking to neutralize that menace.
“America welcomes people all over the world to comply with the authorized procedures to return to this nation for tourism, work, or tutorial examine,” Duncan mentioned in an announcement. “Nevertheless, we particularly prohibit visas for anybody who helps terrorist regimes in Part 212(a) of the INA.”
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He added: “In case you are a customer to our nation and also you help Hamas’s horrific homicide of harmless youngsters and killing individuals whereas they sleep, you won’t be able to stay in America and benefit from the freedoms that battle with the terrorist extremists you help.” He mentioned. “People refuse to permit anti-Semitic terrorist sympathizers to determine home terrorist cells on our soil. People ought to by no means help terrorists on the expense of harmless individuals preventing for freedom from persecution.”
“We have already got a file variety of unlawful immigrants from international locations that harbor terrorists,” Banks mentioned. “We have to shut our borders after which deport all non-citizen Hamas sympathizers. The Biden administration has the authorized authority and obligation to do each — and something much less is a betrayal of America’s nationwide safety.”