A subcommittee in the Iowa House has advanced a bill called the “Combating Terrorist Sympathizers Act.”
It calls for suspending, expelling or firing students and employees at Iowa colleges and universities who are here on a student or work visa and express support for terrorist activities or a terrorist organization. They’d likely have to leave the country. Representative John Wills, a Republican from Spirit Lake, said it’s a response to campus protests against Israel.
“A lot of non-citizens in those protests, supporting Hamas…If you’re not a citizen of the United States, you’re here at the grace of the United States, but yet supporting against the interests of the United States, then why should you be here?,” Wills said. “Why should you stay?”
Representative Jeff Shipley, a Republican from Birmingham, said he supports the direction of the bill, but he has questions about how the policy would be applied in real life.
“If I want to throw tea in the harbor or something, you know…Does this count as terrorist activity or a terrorist organization or is it a lawful political opinion that needs to be protested or cherished?” Shipley said, “…but I think it is justified to do something to make it very clear what we do and do not tolerate on campus.”
Representative Ross Wilburn, a Democrat from Ames, opposes the bill. “This is not ready for prime time,” Wilburn said. “…If I happen to be listening to someone speak and I’m nodding my head and someone has a concern, am I now a terrorist? Am I now supporting a group?”
As written, the bill calls for the sanctions to apply for espousing terrorism any time, anywhere — meaning a visa holder could be expelled or fired from an Iowa college or university for actions or statements made in another state or another country. Last month, President Trump said he would cancel visas and deport foreign students who are “Hamas sympathizers.”