Weber Times

Congressman Blake Moore, in collaboration with his colleagues, has dispatched a letter to Troy Miller, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner. The correspondence calls for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to initiate investigations into potential visa fraud cases committed by colleges and universities. These institutions are allegedly failing to enforce rules designed to protect students from antisemitic harassment on their campuses.

"Over the past several weeks, we have seen an influx of threats and incidents of violence against Jewish students and destruction of campus property at universities across the nation," stated Congressman Blake Moore. He further noted that campus leaders are neglecting to enforce their own rules for protecting foreign national students and are refusing to apply university-wide penalties based on visa status. Instead, they are canceling classes and graduation ceremonies, thereby forcing innocent students to bear the consequences of protestors' misconduct.

Moore argued that by waiving codes of conduct for visa holders, these schools are evading U.S. law that determines visa-holding students' eligibility to remain in the United States lawfully - an act constituting visa fraud. "The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has a responsibility to ensure visa holders are adhering to the same laws by which American citizens are expected to abide," he added.

The congressman's colleagues have demanded an investigation into Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Texas at Austin, and other schools experiencing mass demonstrations. The aim is to determine whether university officials are committing visa fraud.

The full letter addressed Mr. Miller's demand for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to investigate any possible cases of visa fraud perpetuated by college and university administrators in relation to demonstrations and unrest following the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The letter expressed concern over increased antisemitic protests supporting Israel’s enemies and calling for violence against Jewish and Israeli Americans since October 7, 2023 attacks carried out by Hamas and Iran-backed proxy groups against the State of Israel. The concern extends to the unwillingness of university officials to enforce school codes of conduct, especially for foreign students on limited educational visas.

The letter concluded with a demand for CBP to launch an investigation into Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University at Texas at Austin, among other institutions where mass demonstration activity is taking place. The goal is to determine whether university officials are committing visa fraud through their concealment of information, noncooperation with law enforcement, and refusal to enforce codes of conduct.

The letter was signed by Representatives Blake Moore, Beth Van Duyne, Jeff Duncan, Burgess Owens, Brandon Williams, Pete Stauber, Stephanie Bice, Greg Steube, Keith Self, Dan Meuser, Randy Weber, Wesley Hunt, Troy Balderson, Andy Harris, Tim Burchett, Bob Good, Pat Fallon, Pete Sessions, Rich McCormick, Morgan Luttrell among others.