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Washington, DC | www.mpac.org | – March 7, 2025 – The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) is outraged by the recent decision of the U.S. State Department to deploy artificial intelligence in a "Catch and Revoke" operation targeting foreign students. This initiative, which involves scrutinizing students' social media accounts for alleged support of designated terror groups such as Hamas, represents a severe overreach of government surveillance and a potential infringement on free speech rights protected under the First Amendment.

The reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate students' political beliefs and expressions introduces significant issues concerning accuracy and fairness. AI systems, which are not designed to fully comprehend the depth and nuance of human expression, may misinterpret casual comments or political opinions as endorsements of extremism. This could result in wrongful visa revocations for students, whose only "offense" might be engaging in academic or personal discussions that are misunderstood or taken out of context by automated systems. This program compromises the integrity of educational exchange programs and unfairly penalizes international students, potentially disrupting their academic and personal lives due to flawed AI evaluations.

The "Catch and Revoke" program is alarmingly reminiscent of historical surveillance overreaches, such as those experienced by American Muslims post-9/11 by the FBI, NYPD, and other law enforcement agencies. These actions targeted specific groups based on discriminatory criteria rooted in racism and bigotry, perpetuating unfair treatment and deepening societal divisions.

This approach not only threatens the academic freedom and futures of international students but also sets a dangerous precedent for the use of unchecked technological surveillance in matters of free expression and political dissent. The United States must uphold its founding principles of freedom and justice, and not weaponize technology against students based on their political views.

Our students will not be silenced. If the federal government is threatening students on international visas from expressing their First Amendment rights, we encourage other students of conscience who are not vulnerable to these policies to step up their activism and make their voices heard.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council demands that the State Department immediately halt this misguided strategy. The United States Government has an obligation to uphold the fundamental freedoms and civil liberties that are core to our national identity. It is imperative that our government's actions align with these values, ensuring that every individual within our borders experiences the fairness and justice promised by our Constitution.

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