CHICAGO, Illinois (Press Release) — 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.
“The moment you are sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on January 20th, you have an opportunity to protect the homeland…enforce the laws and expel any non-citizen alien who supports terrorism,” Masters said in his letter to President-Elect Trump. “This includes those who have taken to the streets of America and on our campuses in support of designated foreign terrorist organizations, like Hamas and Hezbollah. The safety of the American people will be enhanced if you take action.”
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.
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Preceding provided by the Secure Community Network