State Dept revokes hundreds of student visas over terror ties
(JNS) — The U.S. State Department has revoked between 200 and 300 student visas this year over terrorism support, Fox News reported on Wednesday.
An anonymous senior State Department official told the media outlet that those who had their visas revoked for support for terror had “engaged in behavior such as raising funds for the militant group Hamas.”
In total, more than 6,000 student visas have been pulled this year, primarily for overstays or crimes such as supporting terrorism, assault, burglary and DUIs, according to Fox News.
“Every single student visa revoked under the Trump Administration has happened because the individual has either broken the law or expressed support for terrorism while in the United States,” the official told Fox News.
A spokesman for the State Department confirmed the report to JNS, noting that 4,000 of the visas were revoked due to criminal offenses.
“Foreigners that break the law or express support for terrorism have no business studying in the United States,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) stated.
Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) wrote that “if you’re a student here on a visa and you break our laws, you’re getting deported. Period.”
NYPD whistleblower joins Mamdani’s corner
(JTA) — Mamdani has a former undercover detective in his corner. He got an online endorsement on Tuesday from Frank Serpico, who testified about corruption in the NYPD and inspired the 1973 movie “Serpico,” starring Al Pacino and produced by Jewish filmmaker Martin Bregman.
“Go Mamdani,” Serpico said on social media, adding, “He could be the next LaGuardia. NY needs new leadership, not the old boys dead wood crowd.”
Mamdani has called Fiorello La Guardia, who led the city from 1934 to 1945, the best mayor of “all time.” A Republican who was among the country’s most progressive leaders, La Guardia had a Jewish mother and spoke out against the Nazis when few other U.S. politicians did in the 1930s. His sister, who lived in Hungary before the outbreak of World War II, was sent to concentration camps and survived.
One place where the two progressives would disagree: La Guardia, who died in 1947, identified as a Zionist.
The Israel Day Parade will go on
(JTA) — Mamdani’s campaign said he would not cancel or pull security from New York’s annual Israel Day Parade as mayor, according to Politico’s Playbook. The campaign said he believes in the right of New Yorkers to peacefully assemble.
Mamdani has never indicated that he would curb or undercut the parade, which draws tens of thousands of Jewish New Yorkers to Fifth Avenue each June. But he is a sharp critic of Israel and has never joined in, even as he has attended other community parades in the city. His opponents all march regularly.
Rabbi Marc Schneier asked Gov. Kathy Hochul about Mamdani’s attitude toward the parade when she appeared at his Hampton Synagogue on Sunday. Hochul promised the custom would continue, and said she believed Mamdani would not interfere.
Politico reported that Schneier asked the question after Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, which manages the parade, raised the issue during a synagogue event on Friday. Treyger said Mamdani’s support for the pro-Palestinian boycott of Israel had caused widespread concern.
Last month, a Manhattan Orthodox rabbi who said he was open to meeting with Mamdani, unlike some of his colleagues, told us that the Israel Day parade was one of the top issues he would ask the candidate about.
A Trump-supporting Jewish memelord steps into the NYC mayor’s race
(JTA) — Andrew Cuomo’s social media makeover, marked by a proliferation of online replies and memes, backfired after meme creator Jason Levin proudly took credit for an image reposted on Cuomo’s social media page. He also posted a photo with Cuomo that appeared to be taken at a young professionals fundraiser on Monday night, according to Politico’s Playbook.
Why does that matter? Well, it turns out that Levin is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, in addition to an online provocateur. He has called Trump “the best supporter of the Jewish people and Israel we could ever ask for” and posted a photo of Trump in a kippah with the caption, “I’M A PROUD JEW WHO VOTED FOR HITLER.” (Calling Trump “Hitler” seems meant to provoke liberals.)
Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said that Levin “is not paid by the campaign” despite suggesting one meme, adding that “hatred, bigotry, misogyny and anything like that has no place in this race.”
Numbers to know
(JTA) — A new survey from Gotham Polling and Analytics tracked with others handing Mamdani a commanding lead in the race. The poll taken on Aug. 11 predicted Mamdani securing 42% of the vote, followed by Cuomo with 23%, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa with 17% and Mayor Eric Adams with 9%.
Follow our coverage of all the polls and what they’re saying about Jewish voters here.
