Authorities in the United States have uncovered numerous plots by foreign governments to intimidate, harass, and sometimes even plot violent attacks against political opponents and activists living on American soil. These cases highlight the growing trend of transnational repression, where authoritarian regimes go to great lengths to silence dissenters, even when they are thousands of miles away. The tactics employed by countries like China and Iran include hiring private investigators, organized crime gangs, and even plotting murder-for-hire schemes, with a willingness to cross “serious red lines” from harassment into violence.
In recent years, the Justice Department has charged dozens of suspects with acts of transnational repression, indicating a significant uptick in the targeting of critics in America and other Western countries. These campaigns are often well-funded and sophisticated, with foreign adversaries using proxies to carry out their nefarious intentions. The FBI has described the rise in government-directed harassment as alarming, and the prosecutions of those involved are intended to send a strong message that such actions are unacceptable. This trend has become a major priority for U.S. law enforcement agencies, as they strive to protect American values around free expression and association.
China and Iran are identified as two of the leading culprits in this wave of transnational repression, with both countries being accused of engaging in aggressive tactics to silence dissidents living in the United States. China, for example, has launched programs like “Operation Fox Hunt” to track down Chinese expatriates and pressure them to return to face charges. Iranian operatives have been charged with planning violent attacks against individuals living in the U.S., including a murder-for-hire plot targeting an Iranian journalist. These efforts have instilled fear among activists and political opponents who feel they must constantly look over their shoulder.
The Justice Department has been actively pursuing cases of transnational repression, with arrests and prosecutions occurring in response to various instances of foreign interference on American soil. Countries like India, Rwanda, and Saudi Arabia have also been implicated in plots targeting dissidents abroad. The widespread nature of these campaigns has raised concerns among U.S. officials, who are working to address the threats posed by authoritarian regimes seeking to stifle dissent beyond their own borders. The use of emerging technologies and the potential for future harassment through AI are also areas of concern for intelligence officials.
The disturbing details of these cases, including plans to kidnap, harm, or even kill individuals critical of foreign governments, illustrate the lengths to which some regimes will go to silence dissent. The stories of activists like Masih Alinejad, who has faced numerous threats from Iranian operatives, shed light on the personal toll of transnational repression. Alinejad’s determination to continue speaking out despite the risks underscores the importance of defending free expression and standing up to oppressive regimes. As geopolitical tensions persist and authoritarian regimes become increasingly aggressive in targeting critics, the need to protect activists and dissidents living in the U.S. has become more urgent than ever.
