Hamas Supporters Could Soon Be Deported Thanks to New 'Catch and Revoke' Program

The State Department is reportedly launching a ‘Catch and Revoke’ program that will harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify and deport Hamas supporters living in the US on an immigrant visa.

State Department Secretary Marco Rubio, who initially floated the idea of revoking Hamas sympathizers’ visas prior to joining the state department, is allegedly leading the ‘Catch and Revoke’ program. 

The program will use AI to review the social media accounts of thousands of foreign nationals and flag any content sympathetic to terrorist organizations, including Hamas, which could be grounds for visa revocation and deportation.

“Those who support designated terrorist organizations, including Hamas, threaten our national security,” said Secretary Rubio. “The United States has zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support terrorists.”

Under current immigration law, visa holders can have their visas revoked and face deportation if charged with a crime.  

According to 18 U.S.C. 2339B, it is illegal to provide material support to any designated terror group.

Material support includes providing any services or tangible or intangible property, and can include speech supporting a terror group. 

“Violators of U.S. law — including international students — face visa denial or revocation, and deportation,” concluded Rubio. 

While critics of the ‘Catch and Revoke’ program claim it could infringe on immigrant’s free speech rights, the US Supreme Court has previously ruled speech supporting terror organizations may not be protected. 

 In Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project, SCOTUS ruled that speech found to provide material support to designated terror organizations was not protected speech, enabling the government to prosecute individuals producing such speech. 

According to Holder, however, merely expressing support for terror organizations is not considered speech providing material support for such organizations.