WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) have called on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the Drone Advocacy Alliance for potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). The advocacy group is funded by DJI, a Chinese drone company.

The Drone Advocacy Alliance's website states that it is funded and maintained by DJI. The group aims to influence American citizens to oppose legislation such as the American Security Drone Act and the Countering CCP Drones Act, which would prohibit the use of DJI drones in the United States. According to Moolenaar and Stefanik, this activity constitutes working on behalf of a foreign adversary within U.S. borders, necessitating registration under FARA.

In their letter, Moolenaar and Stefanik assert, "FARA is intended to protect U.S. national security by requiring enhanced transparency into certain activities of organizations operating in the U.S. on behalf of foreign entities, including lobbying to influence U.S. policy."

They further argue that "CCP-controlled drone company DJI is sponsoring and using the Drone Advocacy Alliance to market DJI drones as critical lifesaving tools that do not pose risks to U.S. national security. However, the opposite is the case. DJI is directly facilitating genocidal crimes, arming the Chinese military, and advancing the strategic objectives of the CCP, an adversary that threatens U.S. national security."