Former United States President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign university students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, a move that has drawn strong condemnation from civil rights groups and free speech advocates.
In an executive order signed on Wednesday, Trump said his administration would use “all available and appropriate legal tools” to prosecute and remove individuals responsible for “unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence” on university campuses.
“Jewish students have faced an unrelenting barrage of discrimination; denial of access to campus common areas and facilities, including libraries and classrooms; and intimidation, harassment, and physical threats and assault,” the order stated.
A fact sheet released by the White House indicated that Trump’s proposed crackdown would apply to “all” student visa holders involved in what he termed “pro-jihadist protests.”
“To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you,” the document quoted Trump as saying.
“I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”
The order has raised concerns over the broad and ambiguous definitions of terms such as “anti-Semitism” and “pro-jihadist,” leaving many questioning how authorities might interpret these categories in practice.
Legal and political concerns
The order directs the secretaries of state, education, and homeland security to ensure universities comply with immigration laws related to “inadmissible aliens.”
Under US immigration law, foreign nationals can be deemed inadmissible even without a criminal conviction if authorities have “reason to believe” they are engaged in unlawful activities or are linked to a terrorist organisation.
Legal experts and rights organisations have criticised the order, arguing it could be used to target students based on political views rather than any illegal activity.
“Like the college students who once protested segregation, the Vietnam War, and apartheid South Africa, the diverse collection of college students who protested against Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza deserve our country’s thanks,” the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said in a statement.
CAIR accused Trump of attempting to “smear” Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian, and other students who protested against the war in Gaza, calling the order a “dishonest, overbroad, and unenforceable attack on free speech.”
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), an advocacy group for free speech, also warned that visa revocations should not be used “to punish and filter out ideas disfavored by the federal government.”
“Students who commit crimes – including vandalism, threats, or violence – must face consequences, and those consequences may include the loss of a visa. But if today’s executive order reaches beyond illegal activity to instead punish students for protest or expression otherwise protected by the First Amendment, it must be withdrawn,” FIRE said.
Campus protests and reactions
Pro-Palestinian protests erupted at major US universities last spring as Israel launched military operations in Gaza. Demonstrations were held at Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and other institutions, sparking a heated debate over anti-Semitism in higher education.
While some Jewish students reported incidents of violence, intimidation, and harassment at the protests, pro-Palestinian activists accused university authorities of weaponising accusations of anti-Semitism to suppress criticism of Israel.
Trump’s move is expected to become a key issue in the upcoming 2024 presidential race, where he has positioned himself as a strong ally of Israel and a critic of progressive movements on college campuses.
