Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday urging him to deport any foreign national who has expressed support for Hamas. According to the Immigration and Nationality Act, any foreign national who endorses or espouses terrorist activity should be deported.
In part, Senator Cotton wrote:
“The appalling explosion of anti-Semitism in the United States over the past few weeks should disturb anyone who shares American values. While American citizens may have a First Amendment right to speak disgusting vitriol if they so choose, no foreign national has a right to advocate for terrorism in the United States.”
Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
October 16, 2023
The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas
Secretary
Department of Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. 20528
Dear Secretary Mayorkas,
I write to urge you to immediately deport any foreign national—including and especially any alien on a student visa—that has expressed support for Hamas and its murderous attacks on Israel. These fifth-columnists have no place in the United States.
Federal law is clear that any alien who “endorses or espouses terrorist activity or persuades others to endorse or espouse terrorist activity or support a terrorist organization” is inadmissible and must be deported. Swiftly removing and permanently barring from future reentry any foreign student who signed onto or shared approvingly the anti-Semitic letter from the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee on October 7 would be a good place to start.
The appalling explosion of anti-Semitism in the United States over the past few weeks should disturb anyone who shares American values. While American citizens may have a First Amendment right to speak disgusting vitriol if they so choose, no foreign national has a right to advocate for terrorism in the United States.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Tom Cotton
United States Senator
