The First Amendment guarantees all Americans the right to freedom of expression, but no one has the right to destroy private property, trespass on land, or attack innocent people. This is why university presidents are justified in dismantling anti-Israeli protests that have turned into riots. However, we can and must go one step further: the US must deport non-Americans who participated in such riots.
Existing law prohibits entry into the U.S. of any foreigner who “endorses or proposes terrorist activities.” This is some common sense. Why would a government allow individuals who sympathize with terrorists into the country they have been elected to protect? After all, there is no universal right to come to the U.S. That is a privilege that certainly should not be extended to those who desire the overthrow of our entire system of government.
People who are in our country under a visa also do not have the right to remain in the US if they violate the terms of said permit. The US government can, and should, expel those individuals who break the law. The law is absolutely clear on this point, as the State Department confirmed last year. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration does not act on this. Whether out of fear of litigation or a reaction from his political base, maybe both, but it doesn’t matter: the government has an obligation to protect us.
As American legislators, we cannot force the president on this, but we can eliminate any legal ambiguity around the issue of deportation. Our bicameral legislation would do just that, explicitly repealing the visas of foreigners who support Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Palestinian Islamic Jihad or any related group.
This measure deserves bipartisan support. No one, whether Republican or Democrat, should want to privilege those who celebrate indiscriminate violence against the US and our allies. However, progressive Democrats in Congress have obstructed the passage of our legislation. They claim they are protecting the Constitution, but since there is no constitutional right to a visa, it is fair to say that they are genuinely afraid of angering their radical base.
Today, a majority of Democrats oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza. A smaller, but incredibly active, portion of the Democratic party supports Hamas and its supporters in Tehran, despite the killings, rapes and kidnappings of hundreds of innocent civilians, including more than 40 Americans, on October 7, 2023. These fanatics are instructing activists and students to raise their voices saying, “Death to America.” and “Burn Tel Aviv to the ground.” They are also pressuring their legislators in the US not to do their duty.
We cannot let these radicals get away with this. This is why passing our legislation is so important. The more we give in to the threats of the pro-Hamas movement, the more its power and influence will expand in our country. Instead, encouraging the US government to sport foreign protesters who support Hamas and are anti-American would send a clear message that far-left thugs will be subject to what the law requires.
Passing our bill is also an issue of national security. According to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray, the war in Gaza has brought the danger of terrorism in the US to a “completely different level.” At a time like this, we must remember that our number one responsibility is to protect American lives. of any damage. We have no responsibility to allow supporters of terrorism to live within our borders.
It is time for Congress to demonstrate unity and strength against the pro-Hamas fanatics. Laws are being violated and public peace is under siege. Worst of all, Americans fear for their lives simply because they are Jews. We should never have allowed things to get to this point.. The least we can do now is hold accountable foreign criminals who are violating our laws.
