Material support for terrorism

Janet ReitmanNew York Times journalist covering national security and extremism; author of The Inheritance

• Reitman concludes the Prairieland case marks a dangerous turn in how the U.S. brands political activity as terrorism.

  “I think this is a dangerous corner that we've turned in this case”

  The Daily: They Protested ICE. Now They’ve Been Convicted of Terrorism. (Oct 27, 2026) · Listen from 46:26

• Reitman argues the defendants' belief system, which judges could consider at sentencing, drove the extreme sentence lengths.

  “the judge who sentenced them could use the ideology to impose these extremely long sentences”

  The Daily: They Protested ICE. Now They’ve Been Convicted of Terrorism. (Oct 27, 2026) · Listen from 39:21

• Reitman says most people convicted of material support for terrorism receive under ten years, far less than the Prairieland sentences.

  “most people who are prosecuted for material support for terrorism in this country receive under 10 years”

  The Daily: They Protested ICE. Now They’ve Been Convicted of Terrorism. (Oct 27, 2026) · Listen from 38:12

• Reitman argues that using the material support statute against protesters is a 'nuclear option' the DOJ had avoided because of First Amendment concerns.

  “It's very close to treading on speech, treading on the First Amendment. And so to use it is kind of the nuclear option”

  The Daily: They Protested ICE. Now They’ve Been Convicted of Terrorism. (Oct 27, 2026) · Listen from 27:24