Staff Reports
Republicans in Congress Introduce Legislation to Address Hamas Sympathizers on College Campuses
Currently, President Joe Biden and college administrations are not taking swift action to address the pro-Hamas protests occurring at college campuses across the United States. However, Republicans in Congress are not sitting idly by. On Wednesday, Representative Andy Ogles from Tennessee introduced the Study Abroad Act, with Representatives Randy Weber from Texas and Jeff Duncan from South Carolina as co-sponsors.
A Bill Is Finally Here to Revoke Visa for Pro-Hamas Protesters https://t.co/l4dpkxrMKm
— Ceil Utnik (@CeilUtnik) May 10, 2024
The proposed legislation outlines that the Secretary of State should revoke the F, J, or M visas of any foreign national who has been arrested for rioting, participating in an unlawful protest, or promoting an encampment on a college campus since October 7, 2023. In essence, individuals sympathetic to terrorists, specifically Hamas, will be removed from the country. Representative Ogles remarked that these individuals could choose to “go study abroad in Gaza.”
Representative Ogles emphasized the need to send a clear message to foreign students sympathetic to Hamas who engage in chaotic activities on American campuses. He suggested that they could pursue their studies in countries such as Iran, Qatar, or Gaza, which may better align with their ideologies.
Furthermore, the bill aims to mandate a minimum of six months of community service in Gaza for individuals convicted of participating in unlawful activities on American university campuses since October 7, 2023.
However, despite potential bipartisan support for the legislation, it is expected to encounter opposition from members of Congress who oppose Israel. Representatives Cori Bush from Missouri, Ilhan Omar from Minnesota, and Rashida Tlaib from Michigan, collectively known as the Squad, expressed their support for the pro-Hamas student protestors. Additionally, other members of the Squad, like Representatives Jamaal Bowman and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York, objected to the involvement of the NYPD in addressing encampments at Columbia University.
In a separate development, members of the anti-Israel organization CODEPINK disrupted congressional hearings that focused on addressing antisemitic activities on college campuses. They also targeted pro-Israel lawmakers while advocating for Hamas sympathizers.
As Republicans in Congress take proactive steps to address the presence of Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, the opposition from some Democratic legislators and activist groups continues to pose a challenge to efforts aimed at maintaining peace and order at educational institutions.
