On August 26, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two Palestine advocacy organizations, Palestine Action and Masar Badil, as terrorist groups.
As a result, supporters of the orgs face a lifetime ban from entering the United States. Individuals are also barred from donating to the groups as a result of the decision.
Additionally, the U.S. government imposed sanctions on the Italian organization Autistici Inventati, which provides Palestine advocacy groups with digital services.
“Far-left extremists, their fronts, and their enablers should be on notice: We will bring the full weight of our economic tools to bear,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent in a statement. “Political terrorism has no place in our society, and we will continue to cut the financial lifelines of these groups until they are eliminated.”
“There will be no refuge for violent extremists who wage war on our civilization and plot to undermine law and order, destroy critical infrastructure, assault political opponents, or conspire to conceal their crimes from authorities,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “We will use all the tools and authorities at our disposal to fight terrorism and protect our way of life from terrorist coercion.”
The move was condemned by human rights and First Amendment groups.
“Such sanctions have broad speech implications, as they not only are retaliation against the sanctioned for holding political views the Trump administration dislikes, but they severely curtail and criminalize U.S. citizens ability to engage in otherwise lawful associations with these groups,” said Defending Rights and Dissent Chip Gibbons.
“These designations attempt to use the machinery of sanctions enforcement to intimidate and isolate the growing, worldwide movement for Palestinian freedom,” reads a statement from Palestine Legal. “They target and criminalize solidarity and support among activists here in the U.S. and abroad, and are part of continued efforts by the Trump administration to criminalize support for Palestinian rights and broader social justice, anti-authoritarian, and international solidarity activism.”
“As a Palestinian and Iraqi, the fact the country which destroyed both my homelands is calling me a terrorist, is beyond hypocritical,” tweeted Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori. “Trump is the antithesis to everything Palestine Action stands for.”
The decision comes amid a wider Trump crackdown on the Palestine movement. Last month, Rubio announced sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane and Senior ICC attorney Abdoulaye Seye for opening investigations into Israeli war crimes.
It also comes amid a wider crackdown on the left.
Earlier this summer, the State Department issued a 99-page report, accusing prominent progressive groups and individuals of being agents of the Cuban government. The list included NYC Mayor Zohran Mandami, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and the antiwar group CODEPINK.
Judge rules against Trump deportation effort
The Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to deport pro-Palestine students was dealt a blow last month.
In California, federal Judge Noël Wise ruled that federal immigration law cannot be used to retaliate against individuals engaging in protected speech.
“Foundational to America’s enduring democracy are our freedoms of speech and the press embodied in the First Amendment,” Wise wrote in her 90-page decision. “In the United States, free speech, including the freedom to criticize the government and its leaders, is not a sign of our democracy’s fragility. It is evidence of its strength. That strength is diminished when members of our society — citizens and noncitizens alike — must self-censor and ‘behave’ or suffer the government’s retaliation.”
“Tomorrow, or perhaps even today, targets may include anyone in the United States who exercises their freedom of speech to simply express opinions the government does not like,” she continued. “This downward spiral is antithetical to our Constitution that recognizes our right to speak freely. Here you can simultaneously hate the content of a person’s speech and love the country that cherishes the freedom to allow it. Zealous protection of our constitutional right to free speech is a provocative demonstration of our country’s powerful lack of fear.”
The ruling stemmed from a lawsuit by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) against the Trump administration. Plaintiffs included The Stanford Daily, a university newspaper that’s declining assignments related to Israel over concerns that immigrant reporters will be targeted by the government.
“In America, free speech doesn’t just belong to the people who say things the government agrees with,” said FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick in a statement. “Today’s ruling proves that free speech isn’t a privilege, but the inalienable right of every man, woman, and child.”
Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian activist who was detained by the Trump administration and faces the ongoing threat of deportation, celebrated the ruling on Twitter.
“A federal judge just ruled that the Trump admin’s use of immigration law to deport me and other noncitizen students for pro-Palestinian speech is unconstitutional. No one should fear speaking up for Palestine,” he wrote.
Further Reading
- Truthout: 33 Democrats Vote to Withhold Funding From Universities That Boycott Israel
- Haaretz: Adidas Faces Boycott Campaign Over Ad Featuring Amputee Former Israeli Soldier
- The Guardian: Susan Sarandon says she is losing movie roles because of her support for Palestine
- NPR: Israel bars U.S. citizens over criticism and ties to Palestinian activists, lawyers say
