Hamas sympathizers could be added to list that includes terrorist suspects if GOP bill becomes law
FIRST ON FOX: Legislation being introduced on Tuesday would put terrorist supporters, including those backing Hamas and those who call for violence against Jews, on the no-fly list, as anti-Israel campus protests engulf colleges across the country.
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., is introducing the No Flights for Terrorists Act, which would put individuals on the Transportation Security Administration’s no-fly list if they have encouraged violence against Jews, pledged support for terrorist groups, or have been disciplined by higher education institutions for such conduct.
Terrorist organizations are designated as such by the secretary of state, and include Hamas, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Palestine Islamic Jihad and the Palestine Liberation Front. Currently, the no-fly list is a small subset of the terror watchlist that contains the information of known or suspected terrorists.
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The bill is being co-sponsored by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and comes after thousands of protesters have been arrested at colleges and universities in recent weeks, since the formation of an encampment at Columbia University on April 18.
There have been a number of allegations of discrimination against Jewish students, with students saying they feel unsafe on campus and have been intimidated. One student group from Columbia Law reportedly declared that no Jew is "safe" or "free" until "Palestine" is free.
Marshall claimed that professional agitators are able to promote terrorism without consequences on college campuses.
"Hamas terrorist sympathizers don’t just hate Israel, they hate America and everything we stand for. These Far-Left paid professional agitators are promoting terrorism with no fear of the consequences from this Administration and these University Presidents who are coddling them to safeguard their donor lists," Marshall said in a statement.
"These radical Marxists who are doing Hamas’ bidding across the country on college campuses, threatening the safety of our Jewish students and communities, should be treated the same way we treat the terrorist organizations they are pledging their support to and immediately be placed on the TSA No Fly List," he said.
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Blackburn said it is "unacceptable for terrorist sympathizers to threaten the safety of Jewish students in America with little to no consequence."
"When protesters chant ‘We are Hamas’ and carry around ‘Death to America’ posters, we should believe them. Any student, professor or paid protester in America who promotes terrorism or engages in terrorist acts on behalf of Hamas should immediately be placed on the TSA No Fly List," she said.
The legislation will be filed as an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization currently moving through the Senate.
The bill comes days after the House voted to expand the legal definition of antisemitism used to enforce anti-discrimination laws. The bill overwhelmingly passed the House by a 320-91 vote, netting a majority of Republicans and Democrats.
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If passed by the Senate and signed by President Biden, the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act would mandate that the Department of Education legally adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when enforcing anti-discrimination rules.
Fox News’ Liz Elkind and Lindsey Kornick contributed to this report.