Complaint Alleges Biden 'Stand-Down' On Probing Pro-Hamas Violence In The U.S.

The Biden administration has issued an effective “stand-down order” to U.S. attorneys and federal law enforcement to prevent investigations of "incitement, violence, and vandalism" committed by supporters of Hamas terrorists who hold U.S. visas, according to America First Legal: a public advocacy law firm.

The law firm filed a complaint with the Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz, accusing the Biden administration of ignoring violence committed against Jews nationwide since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The group also filed FOIA requests for information from the departments of Education and Homeland Security.

Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are designated foreign terrorist organizations that broke a ceasefire and committed mass atrocities in Israel, including rape, murder, kidnapping, beheadings, and desecration of corpses.

In its complaint, the organization wrote, "It appears that concerns regarding the potential electoral consequences of protecting Jewish Americans and enforcing American anti-terrorism laws and/or sympathy for Hamas's aims are inappropriately biasing the Department's decision-making."

Reed Rubinstein, America First Legal’s senior counselor said that the Biden administration’s silence about widespread anti-Semitism is purposeful and reflects prejudiced “leftist anti-Israel ideologues in the bureaucracy,” and concerns that investigation of anti-Semitic terror could suppress turnout among Democrats during a presidential election year. "On October 7, pro-Hamas extremists, many of whom are foreign nationals, launched a campaign of intimidation and violence against American Jews in the streets and on campuses," Rubinstein said. In contrast, Rubinstein said that the Biden administration was able to fully mobilize federal law enforcement on parents speaking out at local school board meetings.

Pointing out that the Biden administration has made a point of investigating domestic terrorism, the complaint urged the Justice Department inspector general to "investigate whether political considerations have impermissibly infected the Department's investigative and enforcement decision-making with respect to the above-described pro-Hamas activity, individuals, and groups in the United States."

"Despite patent, nationwide lawbreaking, often by foreign nationals, targeting American Jews and Jewish institutions, the Department has taken no such action," the complaint stated. “Credible information suggests that this silence is purposeful; the product, in part, of leftist anti-Israel ideologues in the bureaucracy and, in part, White House political concerns that enforcing the law and protecting Americans from pro-Hamas violence will suppress Democrat voter turnout among the pro-Hamas community. If true, this would be a massive betrayal of the rule of law and national security. Congress and the Inspector General must act, and find the truth,“ said Rubinstein.

In November 2024, just weeks after Hamas's attack, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan), a Muslim who counts herself as a Palestinian-American, warned President Biden about the political consequences for his support of Israel. In a video posted on X, she added to her withering critcism that his re-election chances are harmed by his Israel policy. “Mr President, the American people are not with you on this one,” Tlaib said, who  added: “We will remember in 2024.”