California Leftist Teacher Marries Gaza Resident Online to Secure US Citizenship

Laura Pinyo, a radical left-wing dance teacher from Canoga Park High School in California, revealed she married a Gaza resident online to help him obtain American citizenship and advance her pro-Palestinian agenda, according to the New York Post. On June 16, Pinyo announced her marriage as a way to "challenge Zionism in our schools." She explained to leftist activist Marcy Winograd that her marriage to Salem Abu Amra was motivated by a desire to promote Palestinian rights and freedoms. "I have power as an American citizen. I have the passport I was born with, and how can I live in this world if I do not make every effort to level the playing field in every way I can," she said.

Michael Weilds, mayor of Englewood, New Jersey, a former federal prosecutor and immigration lawyer, warned the New York Post that Pinyo could face criminal charges for marriage fraud. "Marriage fraud is one of the five most common federal crimes, including terrorism and drugs," he said. Marrying someone solely to obtain a green card is a federal offense punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the Department of Justice.

The couple married on April 5 in Utah via Zoom, as revealed by Utah county records obtained by the Israeli NGO Monitor. Utah permits virtual marriages if both parties have a marriage license and valid ID, with two witnesses who do not need to be physically present in the state.

Pinyo has a history of sharing controversial and conspiratorial content. In December 2025, she posted claims that Israel was created by "Satanic bankers" and promoted neo-Nazi conspiracy theories about modern Jews descending from Khazars, a Turkic nomadic tribe. In February, she shared a photo of conspiracy podcaster Candace Owens, who alleged Jews kill Christians during Passover, with a quote accusing America of being controlled by "Satanists working for Israel."