In Letter To President-Elect Trump, SCN Calls For Action Against Non-Citizens Who Materially Support Terrorism And Threaten Jewish Americans

With threats, hate, and violence against Jewish Americans at unprecedented levels, Secure Community Network (SCN) National Director & CEO Michael Masters issued an open letter to President-Elect Donald Trump, calling for immediate action to enforce existing laws to protect the Jewish community and all Americans by taking action to deport non-citizens who provide material support to designated terrorist organizations like ISIS and Hamas or threaten to harm Americans.

The letter highlights recent incidents of violence and threats targeting Jewish Americans, including arrests of non-citizens planning attacks or expressing support for foreign terrorist organizations such as Hamas and ISIS. These incidents underscore the urgent need for enforcement of laws like the Immigration and Nationality Act, which prohibits granting visas to, or admitting, individuals who endorse or espouse terrorist activity.

In its letter to President-Elect Trump and incoming administration designates, SCN cited the recent arrests of a Pakistani citizen trying to travel to the United States from Canada to undertake an attack on the Jewish community, a Mauritanian national who shot a member of the Jewish community on his way to synagogue in Chicago, and the arrest of an 18-year old Egyptian student at George Mason University who was planning an attack on the Jewish community, as well as the uncovered Iranian plot to assassinate American citizens, to include a journalist critical of the Iranian regime and President Trump.

Since the 07 October Hamas terror attack, threat incident and suspicious activity reports have surged, including reports of vandalism, harassment, physical assaults, and false bomb threats. University campuses have become a flashpoint, with documented support for designated terrorist organizations by students, faculty, and outside agitators. According to the FBI’s 2023 Hate Crime Report, the Jewish community remains the most-targeted religious group in the U.S., accounting for 67% of all religiously motivated hate crimes, up from 56% in 2022. Outgoing Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines has also brought to light Iran’s efforts to exploit this threat environment through material support for radicalized individuals on campus.

SCN remains committed to working with the incoming administration to make Jewish community safety a top priority, reaffirm America’s dedication to religious freedom, and ensure faith-based organizations can gather, worship, and thrive without fear.

✡✡✡