Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is demanding the Biden administration take prompt action to remove student visas amid a surge in antisemitic activity on college campuses.
In a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Moody and a group of 19 state attorneys general demanded that foreign students with valid visas be immediately removed from the country if it is found that they have encouraged terrorism or given material support to foreign terrorist groups.
“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,” said Moody.
Since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, where 1,400 men, women, children, and babies were killed and another 240 people taken captive, college campuses have become a glowing hotbed of antisemitic activity.
Threats of violence against Jewish students and people are also rising. This comes at a time when the Students for Justice in Palestine, a group linked to both Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad—two entities designated by the U.S. Department of State as “foreign terrorist organizations”—issued a “call to action” asking its college chapters to hold demonstrations on campuses across the country.
The Immigration and Nationality Act provides that “[a]ny alien who … endorses or espouses terrorist activity or persuades others to endorse or espouse terrorist activity or support a terrorist organization” is “ineligible to receive [a] visa[] and ineligible to be admitted to the United States.” 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B)(i)(VII). Additionally, anyone who “knowingly provides material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization, or attempts or conspires to do so” commits a federal crime. 18 U.S.C. 2339B(a)(1).
In addition to Attorney General Moody, the attorneys general of the following states signed on to the letter: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.
As the Tampa Free Press reported Thursday, Senator Marco Rubio has also called for the Biuden admin to revoke student Visas for supporters of the terrorist organization.
“For those international students who defied university orders, and police instruction, in favor of acting on pro-terrorist views, this should result in immediate expulsion from their host institution and our generous country. No questions asked,” said Rubio.
“Let me be clear: espousing support for a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization is grounds for the termination of a visa and immediate removal from our country. As pro-terrorist protesters continue to be arrested, I urge you to ensure those who are in our country on visas are placed into expedited deportation proceedings,” Rubio continued.
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