By Steve Neavling
A Homeland Security officer was placed on leave following the discovery that she previously served as an operative for the Palestinian Liberation organization and wrote a series of anti-Israel comments on social media.
Nejwa Ali, an officer with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, once worked as a public affairs officer for the PLO’s delegation to the U.S. in 2016 and 2017.
“Palestinians have been suffering under Israel’s brutal, illegal, military, APARTHEID occupation for more than 75 years,” Ali wrote on Oct. 7, Newsweek reports. “F*** Israel, the government, and its military @stateofisrael @timesofisrael are you ready for your downfall…because we are ready for our freedom.”
“Israel and every Israel has to remember one thing: respect our existence or expect resistance. Simple. No apologies. #freepalestine.”
One day later, she wrote, “Free Palestine and F*** APARTHEID Israel, and any Israeli that supports the bullshit. Your privilege is blinding, apparently, but ignorance is not bliss and I hold every Israeli accountable for their governments actions, IF they do not speak against Israel and the Israeli military.”
Those were among a series of posts referring to Israel as an “apartheid state.”
Ali is from Dearborn, Mich., which has the largest Muslim population in the U.S.
Ali has worked full time for DHS since January 2019, beginning as an asylum officer and later as an adjudication officer for USCIS.
USCIS spokesman Matthew Bourke confirmed Ali was placed on leave.
“USCIS strongly condemns antisemitism and the use of violent rhetoric in any form,” Bourke said. “USCIS employees are held to high ethical standards both on and off duty, including their presence on social media. Any violation of these standards is taken seriously by the agency.”
The USCIS handbook bars employees from writing anything that discredits the agency via “discriminatory, obscene, harassing or intimidating messages or materials.”
