U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Ted Budd (R-NC) joined Republicans to introduce legislation that would expand bans on those who publicly endorse terrorist activities.
The Terrorist Inadmissibility Codification Act was introduced on Nov. 20 and would close loopholes in existing Immigration and Nationality Act and would expand the existing provisions banning admission into the US of officers, officials, representatives and spokesperson of the Palestine Liberation Organization to include anyone who publicly endorses the activities of terrorist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Palestine Islamic Jihad, or other successor or affiliate groups.
“Freedom of speech does not protect terrorism and calls to terror,” Cassidy said. “We’re strengthening the law so terrorists and their supporters can go hate us somewhere else.”
Joining Cassidy and Budd in co-sponsoring the legislation were U.S. Sens. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Cornyn (R-TX), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and Rick Scott (R-FL).
Following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, there has been a wave of anti-Israel, antisemitic, and pro-Hamas advocacy by foreign visa holders present in the United States, the law makers said. The Trump administration has revoked the visas of individuals who engaged in pro-Hamas advocacy and tightened the vetting process to detect such advocacy conducted by visa applicants. This legislation would codify those efforts, the senators said.
The legislation was previously introduced by U.S. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) in the House.
“There is no place in America for foreign adversaries or terrorist sympathizers. As our nation faces a disturbing rise in antisemitic and illegal alien terror attacks, along with increasing pro-Hamas sentiment on our college campuses, we must take action to ensure our borders are secure from those wishing harm against Americans,” Pfluger said.