Laura Pinho, a dance teacher at Canoga Park Senior High School in California, stated in a June 16 CODEPINK webinar that she married Salem S.E. Abu Amra, a resident of Gaza, to "equalize the playing field" and promote "Palestinian rights and freedoms."
Pinho, 51, explained during the webinar, "I have power as an American citizen. I have a passport that I was just born with, and how can I live in this world if I don’t make every effort to equalize the playing field on whatever way that I can."
Marriage fraud, which involves marrying someone to obtain a green card, is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the Department of Justice. Michael Wildes, Englewood's mayor and an immigration attorney, commented that Pinho's actions could lead to federal conspiracy charges if prosecuted.
The couple married on April 5 in Utah, a state that allows marriages to be conducted remotely via Zoom. Records from the Utah County Clerk indicate the marriage took place, with Pinho and Abu Amra not physically present in the same location. According to the notes, Utah allows virtual marriages provided a marriage license is obtained and valid identification and witnesses are presented.
Pinho also organized a GoFundMe for Abu Amra the month prior to their marriage, describing him as the primary caregiver for a family of five and stating that his days involved securing clean water and food for his family.
Public records show Pinho has a 5-year-old child with Derek J. Reid, an improv coach who resides at her address. Reid stated he and Pinho were domestic partners, not married, and are currently separated. He claimed to have no knowledge of her marriage to Abu Amra and expressed concern that Pinho had become "radicalized."
Pinho is a faculty advisor for her school's Students for Justice in Palestine club and has reportedly integrated anti-Israel content into her dance curriculum. She has also shared social media posts containing antisemitic theories, including claims that Israel was created by "Satanic bankers" and that modern Jews are not descended from ancient Israelites. One post amplified a conspiracy theory linking American leadership to Israel and child exploitation.
Abu Amra has reportedly shared content on Facebook that honors a Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist. It remains unclear if Abu Amra has entered the United States. Representatives for Pinho and the Los Angeles Unified School District did not respond to requests for comment.