A prominent researcher long embraced by Jewish organizations and bipartisan policymakers for exposing online antisemitism now finds himself in the crosshairs of the Trump administration, in a case critics say exposes deep contradictions in Washington’s stated commitment to fighting hate.

Imran Ahmed, the British-born founder of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), said he was stunned when the State Department announced in late December that it was revoking visas for digital anti-hate activists over what Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as “egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.” Though Ahmed was not named in the formal announcement, a senior State Department official later singled him out on social media as a “key collaborator” in alleged government overreach.

The move was striking not only because Ahmed has worked closely with Jewish institutions—including the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Federations of North America—but because he is no longer on a visa at all. Ahmed received an EB-1 “extraordinary ability” visa in January 2021 and is now a U.S. green-card holder.

“I was confused—and alarmed,” Ahmed told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, speaking from Washington. “There was no formal notice. Just a tweet.”

Ahmed’s research has been cited across the political spectrum. He has appeared alongside Republican leaders, including at a conference attended by Benjamin Netanyahu and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and has advocated with conservatives to repeal Section 230, the law shielding social media companies from liability. JFNA has credited Ahmed’s work as foundational to its policy proposals on online antisemitism.

Yet amid an aggressive immigration crackdown that has swept up tens of thousands of migrants—including some green-card holders—Ahmed sought and received a court order barring his detention without due process. A federal judge this week extended the protection through March.

Civil liberties advocates say the case raises red flags. “Absolutely fascist—and dangerous,” wrote Amy Spitalnick, head of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, calling the targeting of Ahmed part of a broader effort to silence critics of powerful interests.

Ahmed believes those interests are Silicon Valley’s tech giants. His organization has published a series of reports detailing how social media algorithms amplify and monetize antisemitic content. In 2023, Elon Musk sued CCDH after a report criticized X, then Twitter, for promoting hate; the case was dismissed. Musk later reacted to news of the visa action with fire emojis.

State Department officials declined to answer questions about Ahmed’s legal status, issuing only a broad statement asserting that the United States has no obligation to allow foreign nationals to reside in the country.

The episode has unsettled Jewish communal partners. While JFNA praised Ahmed’s contributions, one leader said the group would reassess the relationship if new information emerged. The ADL declined to comment.

The irony, Ahmed and his supporters argue, is that the action clashes with the administration’s own anti-antisemitism agenda. Even the newly appointed U.S. antisemitism envoy, Yehuda Kaploun, has called for tougher oversight of tech platforms.

“This is about silencing the messenger when they can’t defeat the message,” Ahmed said. “My work asks how ancient lies about Jews are spreading faster than ever—and who profits from that.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)