The House Homeland Security Committee is conducting an investigation into the hiring of Nejwa Ali, an employee of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), who previously worked for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and holds anti-Israel views. Ali, who worked at the PLO’s office in the U.S. in 2016 and 2017, was placed on leave after her history came to light. However, it is still unknown whether USCIS was aware of her previous association with the terrorist organization when she was hired.
Representative Mark Green, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, has demanded answers from Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas regarding Ali’s hiring and her continued employment as an asylum officer and immigration adjudicator, despite her public attacks on Israel and her recent support for Hamas on social media.
Green emphasized that individuals who have worked for designated foreign terrorist organizations should not be employed by the Department of Homeland Security. The investigation was revealed in a letter to Mayorkas, signed by Green and three subcommittee chairmen.
Mayorkas, who is Jewish and has family members who were victims of the Holocaust, has not yet made any public statements regarding Ali. The Republicans have given him an opportunity to address the issue. They highlighted the fact that Mayorkas delivered a speech celebrating the Biden administration’s efforts to combat antisemitism, while Ali, an employee of DHS, expressed support for violence against Israel and Hamas.
The Daily Wire first reported Ali’s history of Palestinian activism, including her role as a public affairs officer for the PLO’s delegation in Washington. Although the PLO has been designated as a terrorist organization, they were allowed to operate under a presidential waiver until the Trump administration expelled them in 2018.
In response to the revelation, USCIS issued a statement condemning antisemitism and announced that Ali had been placed on leave.
Green and his colleagues questioned the hiring officials’ knowledge or disregard of Ali’s background, as USCIS’s sudden decision to place her on leave implies a lack of awareness.
The lawmakers have requested to review any asylum decisions made by Ali that involved Jewish applicants or individuals claiming Palestinian roots. They also seek documents related to her hiring and the decision to place her on leave.
The investigation is ongoing, and further updates are awaited.
Focus Keyword: House Republicans Investigate Homeland Security's Appointment
