New legislation introduced in Congress aims to prohibit visa holders who express support for Hamas or other U.S.-designated terrorist organizations from entering or remaining in the United States.
Fox News reports that the proposal, called the Terrorist Inadmissibility Codification Act, was introduced by Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas. It would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to explicitly ban individuals affiliated with or expressing support for groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, al Qaeda, ISIS, and Palestine Islamic Jihad. This ban would apply not only to formal members but also to anyone who endorses or promotes the activities or ideologies of these organizations.
“There is no place in America for foreign adversaries or terrorist sympathizers,” Rep. Pfluger said in a statement. “As our nation faces a disturbing rise in antisemitic and illegal alien terror attacks, along with increasing pro-Hamas sentiment on our college campuses, we must take action to ensure our borders are secure from those wishing harm against Americans.”
The legislation comes amid heightened tensions following Israel’s military response to Hamas’ October 7 attacks, which triggered a series of violent incidents and a rise in antisemitic acts across the U.S.
In response to the unrest, the Trump administration has begun revoking student visas for individuals involved in pro-Gaza protest activity. The State Department also announced a pause on new student visa interviews late last month as it works to overhaul its vetting procedures.
Current immigration law already prohibits individuals who engage in terrorism, are affiliated with designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations, or who offer material support to such groups.
However, these determinations often depend on evidence of direct involvement or support and are subject to administrative discretion.
The new bill would tighten these standards by allowing immigration enforcement to take action based solely on expressions of support or endorsement of terrorist organizations—regardless of whether the individual has provided material support or formally joined a group. This would mark a move toward evaluating ideological alignment and speech as part of immigration decisions.
The legislation follows recent violent incidents believed to be motivated by antisemitism. On June 1 in Boulder, Colorado, a suspect identified as Mohammed Sabry Soliman allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at a group demonstrating in support of hostages held in Gaza. Police said Soliman stated he wanted to “kill all Zionist people.”
Another attack occurred in May outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., where a couple was fatally shot. Witnesses reported the suspect shouted “free Palestine” after the attack.
