Banks urges Bondi to investigate foreign funding behind anti-ICE protests

Indiana GOP Sen. Jim Banks sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday, urging her to investigate foreign funding behind anti-ICE protests.

“I urge you to investigate foreign influence behind anti-ICE activism. Progressive groups across the country are organizing protests, economic boycotts, and school walkouts to oppose immigration enforcement,” Banks wrote. “In many cases, they are inciting the obstruction of federal law.”

"A national and coordinated anti-ICE network has activated in response to immigration enforcement by ICE and Border Patrol," he later added.

"In trainings, some anti-ICE groups encourage protestors to interfere with enforcement, to 'strike' law enforcement officers, and to forcefully remove arrestees from custody—tactics that, as organizers sometimes acknowledge, move beyond lawful protest. Obstructing federal law enforcement is a crime, as is harboring aliens known to be in the country illegally."

Banks noted instances where protesters assaulted federal officers, blocked and rammed vehicles, and stormed churches, arguing that the government “must identify who is behind this chaos before it tears the country apart.”

In the letter, Banks said, "Just last week, the State Department identified a network of progressive groups run by Neville Singham as a source of Chinese influence," adding that "Singham Network groups have led anti-ICE boycotts and school walkouts across the country, and have encouraged immigrant groups to protest ICE."

Also, "ICE resistance trainings with the stated purpose of 'interfering' with federal law enforcement have been sponsored in multiple cities by groups funded by Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss," Banks said.

"Foreign principals should not dictate America’s immigration policy, and they should not encourage American citizens or guests of this country to obstruct law enforcement. At a minimum, we should know who is funding anti-ICE activism, what influence those funders are wielding, and whether they are acting as agents of our adversaries," he added.