Arkansas AG leads 20-state coalition to remove foreign students promoting terrorism

Little Rock, Arkansas – Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin is leading a 20-state coalition of attorney generals calling on Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to remove foreign student visa holders who are found to have endorsed terror activity or provided material support to foreign terrorist organizations.

According to a release from the attorney general’s office, Under Arkansas law, providing material support for a terrorist act is a Class Y felony. Ark. Code Ann. 5-54-202. Additionally, Act 710 of 2017 prohibits the state from contracting with, or investing in, companies that boycott Israel.

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an ACLU-led challenge to that law by a 9-1 margin, and earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to overturn that ruling, according to the attorney general’s office.

The release states that Griffin is joined by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.

“Antisemitism and anti-Israel activity are unwelcome in Arkansas. Threats of violence against Jews are anathema to our American values and all who respect human dignity. As state attorneys general, we are concerned that foreign students admitted to colleges in the United States on student visas may be supporting terrorist activity through membership in SJP and are ineligible to hold a student visa under the Immigration and Nationality Act,” Griffin said in a letter after the announcement. ” Therefore, in light of the recent, disturbing surge of antisemitic activity and threats of violence, we ask the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to vigorously renew vetting of foreign student visa holders and promptly remove any who are found to have endorsed or espoused terrorist activity or provided material support to foreign terrorist organizations.”

A coalition of 20 state attorneys general, led by Arkansas’s Tim Griffin, is urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to revoke the visas of foreign students who have been found to have encouraged terrorism or given material support to foreign terrorist groups.

A press statement from the attorney general’s office states that giving material assistance to a terrorist attack is a Class Y felony in Arkansas. Ann. Ark. Code 5-54-202. Act 710 of 2017 further forbids the state from investing in or entering into contracts with businesses that boycott Israel.

According to the attorney general’s office, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a challenge to that law led by the ACLU by a 9-1 vote, and earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to overrule that decision.

Attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia join Griffin, according to the release.

“Antisemitism and anti-Israel activity are unwelcome in Arkansas. Threats of violence against Jews are anathema to our American values and all who respect human dignity. As state attorneys general, we are concerned that foreign students admitted to colleges in the United States on student visas may be supporting terrorist activity through membership in SJP and are ineligible to hold a student visa under the Immigration and Nationality Act,” Griffin said in a letter after the announcement. ” Therefore, in light of the recent, disturbing surge of antisemitic activity and threats of violence, we ask the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to vigorously renew vetting of foreign student visa holders and promptly remove any who are found to have endorsed or espoused terrorist activity or provided material support to foreign terrorist organizations.”

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).