Daria-Riza Avila-Chevalier has authored a paper suggesting that the foundations of U.S. border security are rooted in “anti-Blackness and Islamophobia,” according to reports.
Candidates for Congress, backed by Mayor Zoran Mamdani from the Democratic Socialists of America, are leveraging a specific case study to argue that the entire U.S. counterterrorism framework is built on systemic racism and is geared toward policing those seen as political adversaries.
Chevalier has removed previous tweets expressing a desire to eliminate police, prisons, borders. In a paper written in 2023, she focuses on the case of Abdikadir Mohamed, a Somali man who has permanent U.S. residency and who was detained upon arriving at JFK Airport in 2017.
Her examination emphasizes Mohamed’s interrogation by the Customs and Border Protection’s tactical counterterrorism team, contending that their actions were manifestations of border violence intertwined with anti-Black racism and Islamophobia, ideas which she believes are integral to U.S. counterterrorism policy.
Interestingly, her paper overlooks the fact that Mohamed’s name resembles that of Abdikadir Mohamed Abdukadir, a wanted terrorist associated with the group al-Shabaab, which could explain why he was targeted for interrogation. Moreover, her 25-page work lacks suggestions for alternative ways to assess security threats, raising questions about its comprehensiveness.
Throughout her analysis, Chevalier claims that the actions of both the tactical counterterrorism teams and the Customs and Border Protection are conducted within what she terms a “permanent state of exception,” perpetuated by “anti-Blackness and Islamophobia,” despite many CBP agents likely not self-identifying as either Black or Muslim.
She further asserts that counterterrorism actions at U.S. borders serve to not only limit immigration but also to “surveil and control social movements” once individuals enter the nation.
The paper titled “Securitization of Immigration through Tactical Terrorism Response Teams” characterizes U.S. border security as an extension of racially motivated state violence, framing counterterrorism as a tool for exerting control over Black Muslim refugees rather than safeguarding national interests.
Chevalier describes TTRT’s strategies as “social murder,” exposing travelers to conditions that strip them of basic dignity. This term she uses highlights the plight of those living under severe restrictions.
She claims that the primary justification for Mohamed’s arrest was a press release from the Ogaden National Liberation Front found on his phone, yet U.S. anti-terrorism laws have prevented CBP from sharing the specifics behind his detention.
Mohamed was moved to an ICE detention center where he spent 17 months and contracted tuberculosis before being released, all while facing no charges, which has drawn considerable criticism.
Both Chevalier and CBP did not respond to requests for comments. Additionally, the agency has legally fought to keep TTRT methodologies confidential.
In 2019, Mohamed submitted a statement to Congress alleging that ICE had breached proper protocols, exacerbating his health before he was finally released.
Chevalier’s radical views have come under scrutiny following her surprising win in the 13th District Democratic primary, raising questions about her motivations as a candidate.
Previously, Chevalier served as a leader in Columbia University’s Palestine Justice Student Chapter, advocating for the complete dismantling of Western civilization, participating in a notable 2024 campus occupation, and describing the October 7 Hamas attack as a “victory.”
The 32-year-old doctoral candidate expressed gratitude to several academics in her paper, including NYU law professor Ramzi Kasem, whom she recently confirmed she’s dating.
Kasem, who co-directs CLEAR—a legal clinic for clients contesting post-9/11 surveillance and national security policies—has also been a significant figure in her academic journey.
Chevalier’s doubts about Israel trace back more than ten years. In a detailed letter to Columbia Spectator back in 2014, she accused an unnamed Israeli individual of committing “significant violence” against her during a visit to Jerusalem, attributing the harassment to her Afro-Latino background.
Furthermore, she defended the decision to invite convicted Palestinian terrorist Rasmair Odeh to speak at a campus rally focused on sexual assault, asserting that disparaging Students for Palestinian Justice silences the narratives of marginalized survivors.
She expressed strong public support for Odeh on social media, previously urging contributions towards Odeh’s legal defense and declaring, “Please bring Lasmere home!” alongside fundraising links during Odeh’s immigration fraud case.
Odeh was previously convicted for her involvement in two bombings in Israel that killed Hebrew University students, actions attributed to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S.
After receiving a life sentence for her crimes, she was released in a prisoner exchange but later faced immigration fraud allegations, ultimately leading to her citizenship being revoked and deportation to Jordan.
