Earlier this week, the United States Department for Homeland Security announced that it will “begin considering aliens’ antisemitic activity on social media and the physical harassment of Jewish individuals as grounds for denying immigration benefits requests.” (In the US, “immigration benefits” include granting citizenship, permanent settlement, and providing the right to work to noncitizens). This guidance goes into effect immediately, and applies to both those applying for legal status and those currently affiliated with universities.
This announcement is less a new development than a belated effort to make official guidance align with an already existing reality. Over the last month, the Trump administration has made every effort to perpetrate the extra-legal abduction and disappearance of at least nine university students and professors for their alleged “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity”. None have been charged with a crime because they have not committed a crime. And, for the record, none have done anything antisemitic, either. …..more
