Ft Wayne Times

Today, Congressman Jim Banks led 22 of his House colleagues in a bipartisan letter to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, and Attorney General Merrick Garland. The letter addressed Director Haines’ July 9th statement confirming that the Iranian regime, a state sponsor of terrorism (SSOT), provided financial support to pro-Palestinian protests in the United States.

The letter requests that administration officials name the specific U.S.-based protest groups that received funding from Iran and enforce United States law by prosecuting those responsible.

Congressman Banks stated: “The Biden administration admitted that some of the same groups behind the pro-Hamas protestors who burned American flags outside the U.S. Capitol last week also took money from Iran. These organizations likely violated U.S. sanctions law and must be prosecuted. I am calling on the Biden administration to come clean and tell us which of these anti-American groups took illegal donations from the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, Iran.”

Last week, Rep. Banks introduced the No Visas for Violent Criminals Act, legislation to terminate any visa and require deportation within 60 days of any non-citizen convicted of a criminal offense during a protest.

Rep. Banks’ MAHSA Act to sanction Iranian leaders for human rights abuses was signed into law in April 2024.