9:27 a.m., November 1, 2023
Hawley criticizes Mayorkas over DHS employee celebrating Hamas terrorist attack
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., questioned Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about one of his aides who praised terrorists but is still employed by the government.
On October 7, Hamas launched a multi-stage terrorist attack on several Israeli military bases, civilian communities and a music festival. The Hamas paragliders who murdered teenagers and young adults at the music festival have been touted as a symbol of attack by some, such as the Chicago Black Lives Matter group, which displayed a graphic of a paraglider with the Palestinian flag reading “I Stand “ published With Palestine.”
After Hawley asked about the prospect of revoking visas for foreign students who called for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people, he read one such social media post and asked Mayorkas his opinion on that rhetoric.
“What about people who on the seventh of October say things like ‘F Israel’ – I’m clearing up the language here – ‘F Israel, the government and your military, are you ready for your demise?’ People who say things like: “F Israel and every Jew who supports Israel. May your conscience haunt your dreams until your last breath. Palestine will one day be free. F Apartheid Israel.” That’s pretty extreme rhetoric, don’t you think? ?”
After Mayorkas argued that there is a difference between “advocating or endorsing terrorist ideology and vile statements,” Hawley followed with some important details.
“This person works for you,” he said, pointing out that the DHS employee in question is “a Department of Homeland Security employee who posted these comments on October 7.”
He continued, “That’s not all she posted,” noting that the department official also posted a “fake graphic” showing a “Hamas paraglider” armed with a machine gun flying to Israel.
Hawley noted that this staffer posted it with the celebratory caption, “Free PALESTINE.”
Hawley turned to Mayorkas and asked whether this “asylum and immigration official posting these, frankly, genocidal slogans and images on the day Israelis are being slaughtered in their beds” is “typical of people who are for the DHS work”.
Mayorkas initially rejected the premise of the question: “Your question, which suggests that this is emblematic of the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security, is despicable.”
“I’m sorry, this person works for the Department of Homeland Security. Did you fire her?” Hawley responded.
Alexander Hall of Fox News Digital contributed to this update.