Pro-Palestinian protesters gather outside Columbia University Campus in New York City to protest against the former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, New York, US, 4 March 2025. [Getty]
US President Donald Trump’s administration has taken steps to reverse the student visas of those who have participated in demonstrations in support of Palestinians, including the use of artificial intelligence.
The move comes as colleges in New York are seeing a wave of pro-Palestinian protests, which are being met with severe crackdowns by university administrators, including academic expulsions, suspensions, and arrests by city police.
“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday, days into an organised pro-Palestinian demonstration by students at Barnard College (a sister college to Columbia University), which attracted national attention due to reported violence, a police crackdown and widespread responses by elected officials.
Trump continued,”Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
The US president’s recent social media message echoes similar statements he made while on the campaign trail, saying he would deport pro-Palestinian protesters. Now, as president, these words are creating a chilling effect.
Reports have already emerged of students being impacted by the policy, which became one of Trump’s top priorities upon taking office for a second term.
In late January, days after the inauguration, Trump signed an executive order to crack down on pro-Palestinian student protesters, arguing that it was part of an effort to combat antisemitism.
On Wednesday, Reuters and other news outlets reported that the State Department will use artificial intelligence to reverse student visas of those deems to be “supporters of Hamas”.
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee said the reported developments “signal an alarming erosion of constitutionally protected free speech and privacy rights.”
Since the outbreak of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023 and the ensuing student protests, multiple studies have found that the campus demonstrations have been largely peaceful. Nevertheless, they have emerged as a high-profile culture war issue that are now shifting public policy over their perceived danger.
The first amendment, including free speech, assembly and protest, have long been protected under the constitution. Rights advocates are now raising the alarms that these basic rights are now under threat at on US university campuses.
