Some research on how foreign nationals can get involved (or not) in campaigns that will hopefully provide some clarity here:
A foreign national can volunteer as long as they are not part of the campaign’s decision-making apparatus. There are useful official sources. To start, there is the official Federal Election Commission guidance online. Here they outline that a foreign national can do anything as a volunteer as long as they are not part of the campaign’s decision-making apparatus. So for example, a foreign national can express their opinion online about who to vote and who to donate for. Like, I don’t have an arrangement with Carrick’s campaign. This is explicitly permitted. This is below:
Page 44: “Foreign national as campaign volunteer Although foreign nationals may not make contributions or expenditures in connection with any federal, state, or local election (see Chapter 5, Section 1), an individual who is a foreign national may participate in campaign activities as an uncompensated volunteer. In doing so, the volunteer must be careful not to participate in the decision-making process of the campaign. The Act and Commission regulations specifically prohibit foreign nationals from participating in the decisions of any person involving electionrelated activity. 52 U.S.C. §30121; 110.20(i). See AO 2004-26 (Weller). For example, a foreign national volunteer may attend committee events and campaign strategy meetings but may not be involved in the management of the committee. 110.20(i); see AOs 2014-20 (Make Your Laws PAC), 2007-22 (Hurysz), 2004-26 (Weller) and 1987-25 (Otaola).”
2. More specifically, foreign nationals can help with fundraising.
Also, from the Congressional Research Service’s write-up on the FEC and its advisory opinions:
Page 3: “FEC Advisory Opinions provide some guidance. Traditional volunteer activities, such as “lit drops, door to door canvassing, handing out literature at transit stations, telephone banking, and get out the vote activities” plainly fall within the exemption and may be provided by foreign nationals, who are similarly free to attend campaign rallies and events and give speeches endorsing their chosen candidate or cause. The FEC has also permitted foreign nationals to design a political committee’s website code, logos, and trademarks without compensation.… But a later Advisory Opinion specifically allowed foreign nationals to participate in fundraising activity, including in the direct solicitation of funds.… Thus, the volunteer exemption for foreign nationals.… what seems to matter is whether the foreign national participates in a political organization’s “decision-making process,” which includes “decisions concerning the making of contributions, donations, expenditures, or disbursements in connection with elections” as well as “decisions concerning the administration of a political committee.””
I’ve also looked all over the other statues and can’t find anything prohibiting speech supporting political candidates. It would be really weird if they prohibited this type of speech. America has a very strong free speech tradition that protects even most of the political speech illegal in Europe. Also, in First Amendment jurisprudence there is a hierarchy of protected speech, with political speech at the top. America not allowing people to express an opinion would be… well, really un-American. America’s protection is so strong (weird?) that it even protects the rights of corporations to donate money to campaigns as free speech (Citizens United).
3. However, donation swapping may be too much of a “substantial assistance”
“Furthermore, it is a violation of federal law to knowingly provide substantial assistance in the making, acceptance or receipt of contributions or donations in connection with federal, state or local elections, to a political party committee or for the purchase or construction of an office building by a state or local party committee.” (Source)
So I would personally hold off from donation swapping. But other forms of speech are accepted.
Some research on how foreign nationals can get involved (or not) in campaigns that will hopefully provide some clarity here:
A foreign national can volunteer as long as they are not part of the campaign’s decision-making apparatus. There are useful official sources. To start, there is the official Federal Election Commission guidance online. Here they outline that a foreign national can do anything as a volunteer as long as they are not part of the campaign’s decision-making apparatus. So for example, a foreign national can express their opinion online about who to vote and who to donate for. Like, I don’t have an arrangement with Carrick’s campaign. This is explicitly permitted. This is below:
2. More specifically, foreign nationals can help with fundraising.
Also, from the Congressional Research Service’s write-up on the FEC and its advisory opinions:
I’ve also looked all over the other statues and can’t find anything prohibiting speech supporting political candidates. It would be really weird if they prohibited this type of speech. America has a very strong free speech tradition that protects even most of the political speech illegal in Europe. Also, in First Amendment jurisprudence there is a hierarchy of protected speech, with political speech at the top. America not allowing people to express an opinion would be… well, really un-American. America’s protection is so strong (weird?) that it even protects the rights of corporations to donate money to campaigns as free speech (Citizens United).
3. However, donation swapping may be too much of a “substantial assistance”
So I would personally hold off from donation swapping. But other forms of speech are accepted.