‘Death to America’ rapidly emerging as key slogan of anti-Israel agitators in US
The slogan “Death to America” is seemingly gaining steam among anti-Israel agitators, who have swept across the nation. The anti-Israel demonstrations that have spread across the country have taken on an anti-American tenor in recent weeks, with students at the University of Michigan who were participating in the protests being given pamphlets titled “10 anarchist theses on Palestine solidarity in the United States,” which included a page that stated, “Freedom for Palestine means Death to America.” The pamphlets come as anti-Israel protests have continued to gain steam, leading to multiple days-long “encampments” at some of the most elite colleges and universities in the United States. But such rhetoric has not been limited to college campuses, with similar slogans being chanted in nearby Dearborn, Michigan, during a recent rally on the last Friday of Ramadan. ‘DEATH TO AMERICA’ PAMPHLETS CIRCULATED AT COLLEGE ANTI-ISRAEL ENCAMPMENT, EYEWITNESS SAYS “Imam Khomeini, who declared the International Al-Quds Day, this is why he would say to pour all of your chants and all of your shouts upon the head of America,” Tarek Bazzi, a Michigan-based activist associated with the Hadi institute, said in a video before leading rallygoers in chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” The protests have spread at a rapid pace since a Hamas terrorist attack on Israel in October, becoming part of a growing movement that one expert believes can be traced in part to wavering support for Israel among top Democrats. “The recent change of possible U.S. policy … the pressure that Biden is under, and then also Democrats going down from Senator Schumer to Pelosi, people that have been very stalwart, always pro-Israel seem to be turning,” Steven Stalinsky, the executive director of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), told Fox News Digital. While the protests have been called “mostly peaceful,” participants in the demonstrations have been heard making antisemitic chants or rallying in support of the terrorist group Hamas. “We are Hamas!” protesters at Columbia University in New York City were heard chanting at one recent demonstration. TOP DEMS TURN ON ISRAEL AFTER BIDEN CALL WITH NETANYAHU The “Death to America” chants in Dearborn came amid a movement to deny President Biden reelection over his handling of the conflict in Gaza, with organizations such as “Listen to Michigan” and “Abandon Biden” leading a charge that saw over 100,000 voters mark “uncommitted” on their ballots instead of supporting the president in the state’s Democratic Primary in February. Biden seemingly responded to some of that pressure earlier this month, holding a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which the president threatened a change in U.S. policy toward Gaza if Israel does not do more to protect civilians during the conflict. Biden noted the need for an “immediate cease-fire” according to a White House readout of the call, a longtime demand of activists in Dearborn. Dozens of Democrats followed the president’s lead following the call, with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., joining 36 House Democrats in calling for a halt to U.S. weapons shipments to Israel. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on Israel to hold new elections to defeat Netenyahu, saying the Jewish state “cannot survive if it becomes a pariah.” DEARBORN ‘UNCOMMITTEDS’ PLAN TO MAKE ‘EXAMPLE’ OF BIDEN, TURN PARTY AGAINST JEWISH STATE The White House and Pelosi’s and Schumer’s offices did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment. Representatives from Listen to Michigan and Abandon Biden told Fox News Digital that such chants represent a minority of the Dearborn community, arguing that most of the largely Arab and Muslim population in the area are peaceful and that such chants represent a vocal minority. The chants of “Death to America” were also rebuked by a Dearborn-area imam, who told Fox News Digital that he had personally confronted a local protester who chanted the slogan. “I am absolutely against saying ‘Death to America,’” Islamic House of Wisdom Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi said, later adding that Muslims in the area are “not for death,” but for “love.” But Stalinsky, who has spent years documenting cases of extremism arising out of Dearborn, argued that such evidence suggests that the community harbors many with anti-Israel and anti-American views. “There’s definitely support for Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran,” Stalinsky said of Dearborn. DEARBORN ACTIVISTS’ PUSH TO BAIL ON BIDEN SPREADS TO OTHER KEY BATTLEGROUND STATES Stalinksy pointed out that Elahi himself has long been suspected of having ties to Iran, which resulted in nine members of Congress writing a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines last year warning of the Iranian regime’s influence in the U.S. Islamic Centers, including Elahi’s Islamic House of Wisdom. The rhetoric coming out of Dearborn in recent weeks has also caught the attention of the Michigan legislature, with Republican State Rep. Phil Green telling Fox News Digital that the area is “conflicted” and contains “kind, gracious, loving individuals” as well as a “radical side.” Green said that the conflict in Gaza has now begun to highlight a political divide on the issue, pointing out that a Republican-led effort in the state legislature to condemn terrorism had been unable to pass through the Democratic majority. “Republicans are united in our support for Israel. We’re also united in our support or in our opposition to any type of terrorism,” Green said, noting that the Democratic “caucus is split … they do not want to support Israel.” The potential for such a divide has been brewing for a long time, Stalinsky said, arguing that organizations in Dearborn and on college campuses have long propagated anti-Israel and antisemitic messages. Those messages have now been combined by groups who have long been sympathetic to progressive narratives on social injustices in the United States, creating a sort of cross-pollination of messages that has manifested in anti-American and anti-Israel sentiment. “These groups are having influence on a lot of young, ignorant Americans,” Stalinsky said. “That’s something we really need
Trump compliments prosecution’s first witness in criminal trial: ‘very nice’
Former President Donald Trump lauded the first witness in his trial in Manhattan, former tabloid publisher David Pecker, as a “nice guy” earlier Thursday ahead of court. “He’s been very nice. David’s been very nice. He’s a nice guy,” Trump told the media while meeting with construction crews in the city early Thursday morning. Pecker is the prosecution team’s first witness in the NY v. Trump case, where the 45th president is facing 34 charges of falsifying business records. Pecker is the former CEO of American Media Inc., the parent company of publications such as the National Enquirer, who has known Trump stretching back to the 1980s. The former media publisher took the stand earlier this week, where he testified regarding “catch and kill schemes” to allegedly bury negative information about Trump ahead of the 2016 election. LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP NY TRIAL TESTIMONY RESUMES AS SUPREME COURT HEARS IMMUNITY ARGUMENTS “Catch-and-kill” schemes are understood as tactics used by media and publishing companies to buy the rights of a person’s story with no intention of publishing it. The NY v. Trump case specifically revolves around a payment of $130,000 given to former pornographic actress Stormy Daniels by former Trump personal attorney in 2016 to allegedly silence her claims she had an extramarital affair with Trump in 2006. SUPREME COURT TO HEAR ARGUMENTS IN TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY CASE Pecker testified Thursday that he first heard of Daniels’ claims of a sexual affair with Trump after the notorious “Access Hollywood” tape was unearthed ahead of the election in 2016. He said that Daniels was selling rights to her story for $120,000, which Pecker said the media company could not afford. TRUMP ATTORNEY, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE CLASH ON WHETHER A PRESIDENT WHO ‘ORDERED’ A ‘COUP’ COULD BE PROSECUTED “I am not a bank,” Pecker said he told National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard of the tip and sale of Daniels’ story. Howard then told Pecker he would contact Cohen about the matter, Pecker said. Prosecutors allege that after Cohen paid Daniels in exchange for silence on the alleged affair, Trump fraudulently logged reimbursements to the personal lawyer as legal expenses. Prosecutors in the case are trying to prove that Trump falsified business records in “furtherance of another crime.” The DA’s office said the other crime is the violation of a New York law against “conspiracy to promote or prevent election.” TRUMP SAYS NY JUDGE MERCHAN ‘THINKS HE IS ABOVE THE SUPREME COURT’ AFTER BARRING HIM FROM IMMUNITY ARGUMENTS Simultaneous to the trial Thursday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for another Trump case: Special Counsel Jack Smith’s election interference charges. The case charged Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights. The case stems from Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters of Trump breached the U.S. Capitol. The Supreme Court is currently weighing whether Trump has presidential immunity in the case. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We have a big case today — this judge wouldn’t allow me to go, but we have a big case today at the Supreme Court on presidential immunity,” Trump said to the press, referring to the Supreme Court weighing whether Trump is immune from prosecution in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s election interference case. “A president has to have immunity,” he added. “If you don’t have immunity, you just have a ceremonial president.” “We want Trump,” supporters of the president said during the event.
Mexican gang member captured after 2 dozen prior arrests for illegally entering US
Border Patrol agents this week arrested a Mexican illegal immigrant gang member who has two dozen arrests for illegal entry, a sign of the many challenges that agents face at the southern border — and the threats of those attempting to enter. Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens announced that agents in Laredo, Texas, arrested a Mexican national who is a member of the “Tango Blast” gang. He has 24 arrests for illegal entry, under multiple names and dates of birth, Owens said. BORDER STATE LAWMAKER SOUNDS ALARM ON BLOODTHIRSTY VENEZUELAN GANG ENTERING US “Certainty of arrest & consequences = Border Security = the only way to stop subjects like this,” he said. Recidivism, where illegal immigrants are removed or deported and then attempt to re-enter illegally once again, is a regular problem at the southern border. The Biden administration has attempted to tackle recidivism by increasing punishments for illegal entry after the ending of Title 42 last year. However, it has also attacked a law signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that would make illegal entry a state crime and authorize police to arrest illegal immigrants. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS So far this fiscal year, Border Patrol agents have stopped 248 gang members, compared to 639 in all of FY 23 and 751 in FY 22. Overall, there have been 1.3 million migrant encounters at the southern border so far, compared to a record 2.4 million last fiscal year. BLOODTHIRSTY VENEZUELAN GANG TREN DE ARAGUA SETS UP SHOP IN US AS BORDER AUTHORITIES SOUND ALARM Republicans have called for the Biden administration to reverse its policies, which they believe are responsible for the historic crisis at the southern border. The Biden administration, meanwhile, says it needs more funding and comprehensive immigration reform from Congress. It has backed a bipartisan Senate bill, but that bill has so far failed to receive enough support to pass the chamber. But lawmakers and some officials have warned about the looming danger of gang members trying to enter into the U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, recently sounded the alarm about Tren De Aragua, a bloodthirsty Venezuelan street gang whose presence is being felt across the U.S.
Trump says it was ‘made clear’ that a president ‘has to have immunity,’ during ‘monumental’ SCOTUS arguments
Former President Trump reacted to the “monumental” hearing on presidential immunity at the Supreme Court Thursday, saying he thinks it was “made clear” that a president “has to have immunity.” The former president spoke to reporters after sitting in a Manhattan courtroom for hours Thursday—the seventh day of his criminal trial stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges of falsifying business records in the first degree. While Trump sat in court listening to witness testimony, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments on the issue of presidential immunity, and whether he is immune from prosecution in a separate case—Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case related to 2020 election interference. Trump had requested to attend arguments in Washington D.C., but was rejected by New York Judge Juan Merchan, who has required the former president to be in court for each day of his criminal trial. “I was forced to be here, and I’m glad I was, because it was a very interesting day in a certain way,” Trump told reporters. “The U.S. Supreme Court had a monumental hearing on immunity and the immunity having to do with presidential immunity,” Trump said. “And I think it was made clear, I hope it is very clear that a president has to have immunity.” Trump echoed his past argument that without immunity, the president would be reduced to just a “ceremonial” position. “That’s not what the founders had in mind,” he said. “We want presidents that can get quite amazing—quite amazing.” The former president said the Supreme Court justices “were on their game.” “So let’s see how that turns out,” he said. “But again, I say presidential immunity is very powerful. Presidential immunity is imperative, or you practically won’t have a country anymore.” The Supreme Court heard arguments from John Sauer, who delivered arguments on the matter on behalf of the former president and 2024 presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Michael Dreeben, a Justice Department prosecutor, delivered arguments on behalf of the government and Special Counsel Jack Smith. The high court is expected to rule on the matter by mid-June.
Fox News Politics: Oh, the immunity
Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. What’s happening? -Fauci to testify for first time since retirement -New poll reveals insight on abortion views as 2024 looms -Trump attorney clashes with Supreme Court Justice over coup question After a marathon debate over whether former President Trump should be granted presidential immunity for crimes alleged by Special Counsel Jack Smith, legal experts tell Fox News Digital that most of the Supreme Court justices appear concerned with how the ruling will impact the future functioning of the executive branch. The Supreme Court heard arguments for nearly three hours Thursday the issue of presidential immunity, which could set a precedent for whether former presidents have “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution. Justice Samuel Alito asked whether this could set off a cycle of retributive prosecutions for presidents, and whether future chief executives would have to fear “bitter political opponents” would throw them in jail after a close election. FISTICUFFS: Secret Service agent on VP Harris’ detail removed from assignment after physical fight while on duty …Read more FIRED UP: Biden cracks down on power plants that fuel nation’s grid …Read more RETURNING TO THE SCENE: Ilhan Omar and daughter visit Columbia anti-Israel encampment — one week after daughter’s arrest …Read more RETURN OF THE FAUCH: Former top infectious disease doc to testify publicly for first time since retirement …Read more ‘WHY SO QUIET?’: Bernie Sanders called out by Jewish Democrat on antisemitism amid vote against Israel aid …Read more TIDAL WAVE: Dems pounce on Johnson after Columbia speech condemning anti-Israel protests …Read more ‘POLITICAL PROSECUTION’: House GOP says Bragg ‘allowed political motivations’ to ‘infect’ prosecution of Trump …Read more RECORD HIGH: New poll reveals how voters’ views on abortion have changed as Dems seek to make issue a central 2024 theme …Read more ‘DISGUSTING INSULT’: Religious org hits out at Biden for making sign of the cross at abortion rally …Read more ‘MAKING A MISTAKE’: Wisconsin GOP Senate candidate says Republicans should be doing more on health care …Read more SOCIAL MEDIA SWIPE: Trump has this reaction to former AG Bill Barr’s endorsement …Read more ‘AMAZING SHOW OF AFFECTION’: Trump greets supporters, union workers at NYC construction site …Read more ‘GOOD CHANCE’: Trump says he could win liberal stronghold, slams ‘Bidenomics’ …Read more LACKING CONFIDENCE: Majority of voters doubt Biden’s physical, mental capabilities, Trump’s ethics: poll …Read more ‘MOST CONSEQUENTIAL’: Pennsylvania legislators ask Supreme Court to let them challenge Biden’s election EO …Read more SQUAD VS. ‘SQUAD’: NYPD responds to AOC, says officers ‘have to teach’ anti-Israel mobs the ‘consequences of their actions’ …Read more ‘SURE SOUNDS BAD’: Trump attorney clashes with SCOTUS justice over hypothetical ‘coup’ question …Read more MOTION REJECTED: Federal judge rejects Trump request for new trial in E. Jean Carroll case, says he must pay $83.3 million …Read more PAW-SITIVE ENERGY: New plan would train shelter dogs as therapy animals for border agents …Read more HORROR CRIME: Illegal immigrant charged with child sex crimes, home invasion …Read more FAKERS: Arizona alleged ‘fake electors’ who backed Trump in 2020 indicted by grand jury …Read more Subscribe now to get Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
DC mayor refuses to meet with father who lost three sons to city’s violent crime
Democratic Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser is refusing to meet with a father who lost three sons to violent crimes in the city despite his continued quest for answers from officials concerning the crime crisis plaguing him and his fellow residents. “No,” Bowser abruptly told a local Fox affiliate when asked if she planned to meet with John Evans, who has been asking for a meeting with city officials since the death of his third son, Avion Evans. Authorities say Avion was shot and killed at D.C.’s Brookland Metro station on April 4. Avion’s older brother, Johnny Evans III, was stabbed to death at D.C.’s Deanwood Metro station eight years earlier in April 2016, and his half brother, John Coleman, was reportedly shot to death while doing handiwork for a neighbor last May. SEC. BUTTIGIEG SAYS HE CAN ‘SAFELY’ WALK DOG, BUT DC NATIVE IS MORE FRIGHTENED: ‘PRISONER IN YOUR OWN HOME’ According to Fox 5 DC, the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement contacted the family, but Evans wants to speak with city leadership about his concerns over crime. He has yet to hear from anyone despite three weeks passing since his latest son’s death. The affiliate asked Bowser about the shooting on April 10, but she replied, “I’m not going to talk about their concerns with you. I’ll talk to them about it because, obviously, that’s troubling to us.” It asked Bowser again on Wednesday if she had spoken with the Evans family. HARRIS TEETER IS COMBATING DC THEFT SURGE WITH NEW POLICIES, INCLUDING BAG RESTRICTIONS “I don’t talk about my discussions with families,” she responded, but the reporter pressed her, clarifying that she was asking whether she planned to meet with Evans, and not about the nature of any conversation. After saying she was not, the reporter asked why. “I’ve answered your question. Any other questions?” Bowser said. Fox News Digital has reached out to Bowser’s office for comment. Crime dipped in some major cities across the country in recent years, but the nation’s capital has faced a surge, ending 2023 with 274 murders – the most in over two decades, according to Metropolitan Police Department data. Robberies and thefts spiked 67% and 23%, respectively, while motor vehicle thefts almost doubled. Fox News Megan Myers contributed to this report.
Harris County prosecutor hands criminal case into Lina Hidalgo’s staffers over to state attorney general
Hidalgo’s staffers were indicted on felony charges related to how they allegedly helped award an $11 million contract to a political consulting firm headed by a Democratic strategist.
Tarrant County DA wants Crystal Mason’s illegal voting conviction reinstated
A Texas appeals court recently overturned Mason’s five-year prison sentence for casting a provisional ballot in the 2016 election while on supervised release for federal tax evasion.
Justice Alito questions whether presidents will have to fear ‘bitter political opponent’ throwing them in jail
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Thursday asked Justice Department attorneys whether presidents would have to fear prosecution by a “bitter political opponent” if justices reject former President Trump’s immunity claims. The Supreme Court heard arguments on the issue of presidential immunity, which could set a precedent for whether former presidents have “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution. SCOTUS SEES ‘DANGEROUS PRECEDENT’ IN TRUMP IMMUNITY CASE IF PRESIDENTS CAN PROSECUTE RIVALS: EXPERTS Justice Samuel Alito on Thursday, during arguments from Justice Department attorney Michael Dreeben — who presented arguments on behalf of Smith — questioned the repercussions of charging a former president. “Now if an incumbent who loses a very close, hotly contested election knows that a real possible nullity after leaving office is not that the president is going to be able to go off into a peaceful retirement, but that the president may be criminally prosecuted by a bitter political opponent,” Alito asked. TRUMP ATTORNEY, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE CLASH ON WHETHER A PRESIDENT WHO ‘ORDERED’ A ‘COUP’ COULD BE PROSECUTED “Will that not lead us into a cycle that destabilizes the functioning of our country as a democracy? And we can look around the world and find countries where we have seen this process, where the loser gets thrown in jail,” he said. “I think it’s exactly the opposite,” Dreeben replied. “There are lawful mechanisms to contest the results in an election.” Dreeben went on to discuss Trump’s attempts to challenge the 2020 election in the courts. The official question the Supreme Court is considering is: “Whether and if so to what extent does a former president enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office.” The question stems from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s federal election interference case in which he charged former President Trump. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges and argues he should be immune from prosecution from official acts done as president of the U.S. It’s unclear how soon the Supreme Court will rule on the presidential immunity issue. Both liberal and conservative justices focused on the broader implications for future presidents, but raised sharply different concerns. “If the potential for criminal liability is taken off the table, wouldn’t there be a significant risk that future presidents would be emboldened to commit crimes with abandon while they’re in office?” Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, appointed by President Biden, asked. “If someone with those kinds of powers, the most powerful person in the world with the greatest amount of authority, could go into office knowing that there would be no potential full penalty for committing crimes. I’m trying to understand what the disincentive is from turning the Oval Office into, you know, the seat of criminal activity in this country,” she said. Justice Brett Kavanaugh summed up the stakes for the court’s decision: “This will have huge implications for the presidency.” “I’m not talking about the present, so I’m talking about the future,” Kavanaugh said. And Justice Neil Gorsuch stressed during questioning: “We’re writing a rule for, yes, for the ages.” TRUMP BLASTS ‘BIDEN TRIALS,’ SAYS PRESIDENT IS WEAPONIZING DOJ TO ‘TRY TO KNOCK OUT’ HIS ‘POLITICAL OPPONENT’ As for Alito’s question, the former president has repeatedly claimed that he is being prosecuted by his political opponents, warning Americans and voters that all cases against him, in all jurisdictions, are being brought by his opponent — President Biden — and being done in coordination with the White House. Trump says his opponents want to keep him confined to the courtroom during the 2024 election cycle to prevent him from campaigning. The former president, who was prohibited by New York Judge Juan Merchan from attending the Supreme Court arguments Thursday, instead sat in a Manhattan courtroom for his criminal trial out of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation. Bragg charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump pleaded not guilty.
Top Senate Dem calls for probe into Muslims prosecuted by DOJ for illegal border crossings
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., called on the Department of Justice on Thursday to investigate whether migrants from Muslim-majority countries are being targeted for prosecution when crossing the southern border in Texas. In letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland and DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, Durbin cited “the rise of Islamophobic attacks” and urged the officials to respond swiftly to questions over potential discrimination against individuals from Muslim-majority countries. The Senate Judiciary chairman noted that in a Los Angeles Times investigation of prosecutions during an 18-month period beginning in October 2021, over 60% of individuals charged under a section of the U.S. code that criminalizes failure to report oneself at a designated U.S. border crossing point were from Muslim-majority countries. The Los Angeles Times gave examples of Afghanistan, Syria, Iran and Mali as some of the countries that the prosecuted individuals hailed from. READ MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE FROM FOX NEWS DIGITAL “These trends are extremely troubling,” Durbin claimed. “Prosecutions targeting individuals based on their religion, national origin, or other protected characteristics are anathema to the rule of law.” As for the increased usage of a certain section of customs law, as alleged by Durbin in his letter, Lora Ries, the director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital, “It is possible that this hasn’t been used much as a charge, but so what?” “If people are crossing illegally, what’s wrong and tragic? I mean, Congress passed this law, so why can’t prosecutors use that to charge people crossing illegally?” she asked. Iran and Syria are both designated by the Department of State as state sponsors of terrorism. In the State Department’s 2022 Country Reports on Terrorism, it outlines threats beyond these countries. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) “maintained an enduring global enterprise, promoting a large-scale terrorism campaign across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia,” it wrote at the time. The State Department also identified threats in Afghanistan following the U.S.’s 2021 withdrawal deemed by many to have been conducted improperly, such as attacks on civilians by ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K). JEWISH DEMOCRAT CALLS OUT BERNIE SANDERS OVER OPPOSITION TO ISRAEL AID: ‘NOW DO ANTISEMITISM’ According to Durbin, “The concern that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is targeting for prosecution migrants from Muslim-majority countries is heightened by the use” of the failure to report law. “I write to express serious concern over reports that asylum seekers from Muslim-majority countries are being disproportionately prosecuted for alleged improper entry by the Justice Department,” he said, also citing the increase in prosecution under the law “nationwide.” HELP CHAIRMAN BERNIE SANDERS AVOIDS AGREEING TO CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM HEARINGS Durbin’s letter to Horowitz additionally requested that the inspector general “investigate whether the Justice Department is or has been targeting migrants for prosecution based on their religion, national origin, or any other protected characteristic.” The DOJ declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital. GOP LAWMAKERS DEMAND BIDEN ADMIN PROSECUTE ‘PRO-TERRORIST MOBS,’ HOLD SCHOOLS ACCOUNTABLE This comes as FBI Director Christopher Wray recently warned Congress of the heightened threat of terrorism, particularly as it relates to the vulnerability of the southern border. Asked about international terrorism threats, Wray told Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the Judiciary Committee ranking member, last year, “I am concerned that we are in… a heightened threat environment from foreign terrorist organizations for a whole host of reasons,” highlighting “Their ability to exploit any port of entry, including our southwest border.” “We have seen an increase in so-called KSTs, ‘known or suspected terrorists’, attempting to cross over the last five years,” he said at the time. Reacting to the letters, Ries claimed Durbin was “trying to make this about Islamophobia, but the cartels shift where they’re crossing [and] who they’re crossing constantly.” She noted that Durbin wasn’t asking Customs and Border Protection for information related to “the makeup of foreign nationals crossing western Texas at that time or those times.” She additionally questioned Durbin’s choice to highlight the case of an incarcerated Afghan, without considering the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Afghan parole program already in place to assist individuals seeking entry to the U.S. Durbin’s office did not provide comment regarding Ries’ questions in time for publication.