{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-no-iranian-agent-released-in-ransom-deal-should-stay-in-america", "Cotton: No Iranian Agent Released in Ransom Deal Should Stay in America", "2023-09-18", "2023", "2023-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AR", "Tom Cotton", "C001095", "www.cotton.senate.gov", "cotton", "https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n\nContact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold (202) 224-2353\n\nSeptember 18, 2023\n\nCotton: No Iranian Agent Released in Ransom Deal Should Stay in America\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) sent a letter today to Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting information about the Biden administration\u2019s $6 billion payment to Iran, as well as the release of five Iranian agents.\n\nThe letter notes that at least two of the Iranian agents reportedly plan to stay in the United States and urges Secretary Blinken to reverse the deal. Failing that, the secretary should ensure no Iranian agents remain in America.\n\nText of the letter may be found here and below.\n\nSeptember 18, 2023\n\nThe Honorable Antony Blinken\n\nSecretary\n\nU.S. Department of State\n\n2201 C Street, NW\n\nWashington, DC 20520\n\nDear Secretary Blinken,\n\nOn the 22nd anniversary of the September 11 attacks, you approved a $6 billion ransom payment to Iran, as well as the release of five Iranian agents.\n\nAccording to public news reports, your deal will also allow at least two of those Iranian agents to remain in the United States. One of them, Kaveh Afrasiabi, had been arrested for his work as an unregistered Iranian government operative and lobbied American officials on issues as sensitive as nuclear policy. It seems clear where his loyalties lie.\n\nYou should reverse your September 11 deal, which encourages Iran to take more hostages and gifts the regime billions of dollars. If the deal isn\u2019t reversed, you should at a minimum remove all Iranian agents from American soil.\n\nPlease answer the following questions no later than 5:00PM on Friday, September 22, 2023:\n\n(1) Please provide the full details of the Biden administration\u2019s September 11 agreement with Iran relating to prisoners, including any side-deals or related agreements.\n\n(2) Are the Iranian agents reportedly planning to remain in the United States deportable under our immigration laws? Why or why not?\n\n(3) What plan does the Biden administration have in place to monitor the activities and communications of the Iranian agents that it has agreed to release?\n\nThank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-no-iranian-agent-released-in-ransom-deal-should-stay-in-america"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8143980521708727, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}