Anila Ali, President and CEO of the American Muslim & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council (AMMWEC), has called for closer scrutiny of foreign influence campaigns and greater transparency surrounding overseas political and fundraising activities involving public figures following reports that Pakistani actress Mahira Khan joined members of the British Pakistani community in London for a Palestine fundraising event.

In a post on X, Ali argued that as the U.S. works to strengthen homeland security, policymakers “must also pay closer attention to foreign influence campaigns that extend beyond traditional political or religious organizations” — a category she said should include public figures, entertainers, artists, and fashion designers who have “publicly expressed support for or sympathy toward designated terrorist organizations or hostile foreign regimes.”

“When such individuals are invited to the United States for paid appearances and cultural events, organizers and policymakers should carefully consider whether these engagements contribute to the normalization or promotion of extremist ideologies that are contrary to American values and national security interests.” Dr. Anila Ali, President & CEO, AMMWEC

A Call for Financial Transparency

Ali’s statement went on to argue that “greater transparency regarding foreign funding, compensation, and compliance with U.S. financial and tax laws is also appropriate” when public figures are booked for U.S. appearances. She framed this as a homeland-security and compliance question rather than a matter of restricting speech, tying it to existing frameworks governing foreign funding disclosure and tax compliance for paid engagements.

Diaspora Political Activity Under the Microscope

Ali also addressed what she described as the continued political engagement of some immigrant communities with the domestic politics of their countries of origin. She said individuals have every right to maintain “cultural and familial ties abroad,” but argued that concerns arise “when U.S.-based organizations primarily function as fundraising, organizing, or advocacy arms for foreign political movements — particularly those whose platforms or affiliated elements promote anti-American, antisemitic, extremist, or authoritarian ideologies.”

She was careful to note that permanent residents and citizens who have built their lives in the U.S. are free to participate in lawful political activity. At the same time, she said, “policymakers may reasonably examine whether foreign political organizations operating within the United States comply with all applicable laws governing campaign finance, foreign influence, nonprofit activity, lobbying, and financial transparency.” Ali closed the point by saying America’s civic institutions “should prioritize loyalty to the U.S. Constitution, democratic values, and the safety and security of all Americans.”

Ali’s post named a range of Pakistani entertainers and public figures via hashtag, and separately raised concerns about the children of some immigrant families in the U.S. displaying support for Hamas and burning American flags at demonstrations while “wearing kaffiyehs.” She tagged several federal agencies and officials directly in her statement, including the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.