Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has introduced new legislation aimed at cracking down on individuals and organizations accused of bankrolling violent anti-ICE and antisemitic protests that have erupted across the U.S. in recent months.
The STOP FUNDERs Act—short for the Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots Act—was introduced Tuesday in the Senate and seeks to give the Department of Justice expanded authority under the RICO Act to pursue conspiracy charges, freeze assets, and impose enhanced penalties on those funding or coordinating violent riots that cross state lines.
“Every American has the right to speak freely and protest peacefully—but no one has the right to incite or bankroll violence,” Cruz told Fox News Digital. “Domestic radical groups and foreign actors are weaponizing riots to destabilize our cities and endanger law enforcement officers.”
The bill comes on the heels of widespread riots in Los Angeles following President Donald Trump’s renewed enforcement push on illegal immigration. Those demonstrations caused an estimated $20 million in damage, including vandalism of public buildings and surging overtime costs for law enforcement. DHS recently reported an alarming 830% spike in assaults on ICE officers.
Cruz said his legislation will arm the DOJ with the tools it needs to confront “dark money networks” allegedly funneling resources to extremist groups. “I urge my colleagues to move swiftly and pass this bill,” he added.
The rise in violent unrest has been particularly acute on college campuses, where antisemitic incidents have surged since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The Anti-Defamation League reported more than 2,600 anti-Israel incidents between June 2023 and May 2024—a 628% increase over the previous year.
Lawmakers are also scrutinizing the financial pipelines behind many of the most disruptive protests. The House Oversight Committee is investigating possible links between some domestic nonprofits and foreign interests—most notably China-based billionaire Neville Roy Singham, who has been accused of bankrolling radical groups like the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL).
In a prior statement, Singham denied all allegations and criticized The New York Times for what he called “biased reporting.” He maintained that he has never engaged in any illegal activity and refuted claims that he was behind any protest funding network.
Despite the denials, GOP lawmakers remain concerned about what they describe as a “shadow infrastructure” of radical donors working to inflame political unrest.
The STOP FUNDERs Act is co-sponsored by several high-profile Senate Republicans, including Mike Lee (UT), Tom Tillis (NC), Josh Hawley (MO), John Cornyn (TX), Tommy Tuberville (AL), and Bill Hagerty (TN). The bill will now proceed to committee as part of the legislative process.
Senator Cruz framed the proposal as a necessary step to protect both law enforcement and the First Amendment. “You can protest ICE, or Israel, or anything else in this country,” Cruz said. “But you can’t burn down a city or attack officers while hiding behind a nonprofit checkbook. That ends now.”Cruz moves to penalize groups funding antisemitic, anti-ICE riots
