Attorney General Ashley Moody and a coalition of 19 state attorneys general have called on the Biden administration to take immediate action in removing foreign student visa holders who are found to have endorsed or supported terrorist activity. In a letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Attorney General Moody expressed concerns about the surge in antisemitic activity on college campuses and the increased threats of violence following the recent terrorist attacks by Hamas.
In her statement, Attorney General Moody emphasized the need to renew the vetting process for foreign student visa holders and promptly remove those who have endorsed terrorist activity or provided support to foreign terrorist organizations. She stated, "Amidst a disturbing surge in antisemitic activity on college campuses and around the nation, along with increased threats of violence following the abhorrent Hamas terrorist attacks, I am demanding that the Biden administration renew vetting of foreign student visa holders and promptly remove any who are found to have endorsed terrorist activity or provided support to foreign terrorist organizations."
The recent Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, which resulted in the loss of countless innocent lives, has sparked a wave of antisemitic activity on college campuses. Threats of violence against Jewish students and individuals have also been on the rise. The Students for Justice in Palestine, a group linked to both Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, has issued a "call to action" urging its college chapters to hold demonstrations across the country.
The attorneys general are invoking the Immigration and Nationality Act, which states that any alien who endorses or supports terrorist activity is ineligible to receive a visa or be admitted to the United States. They also highlight that providing material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization is a federal crime.
Joining Attorney General Moody in this call for action are the attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The letter sent by the attorneys general can be accessed here.
This demand for the removal of student visa holders involved in terror activity or support to foreign terrorist organizations underscores the need for heightened security measures and stricter vetting processes. The safety and well-being of all individuals on college campuses should be a top priority, and actions must be taken to prevent further instances of antisemitic activity and violence.
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