Last week, Hamas terrorists brutally and barbarically attacked our ally, Israel. The reports and visuals we have heard and seen since the initial attack are sickening. My heart breaks for the families and loved ones of the Israelis killed in this violent aggression and we continue to pray for those working around the clock to rescue the innocent, including Floridians wishing to come home.
In the wake of the attacks, we also saw rallies across the nation in support of murderous terrorists. I want to be clear; Florida stands with Israel. Our greatest ally in the Middle East needs the full support of the United States. In that vein, this week we reminded Floridians that it is a felony in Florida to provide resources to designated terrorist organizations. We are working with law enforcement to make sure that Florida’s Jewish community feels safe, and we will ensure those are firmly held accountable if they aid Hamas or any other foreign terrorist organization.
These terrorist attacks also illustrate the risks of an unsecured border here at home. This week, I led a multi-state coalition of 27 attorneys general taking action to force the Biden administration to follow public safety immigration policies and stop mass-releasing inadmissible immigrants into the country. More than 260 suspected terrorists have been encountered at our Southwest border since President Biden took office. Additionally, 1.5 million known gotaways have evaded border patrol. Given the massive flood of unvetted migrants into the interior of the U.S., there is no way to know who is in our country or if they plan to enact terror on Americans. We need to secure our border NOW.
Border security is national security, and we will continue pressuring Biden to follow the law and protect our nation from terrorists. We will also continue to stand strongly behind Israel as they fight for their very existence. Please pray for Israel.
Ashley Moody is attorney general of Florida