Since the start of 2025, more than 300 student visas have been revoked as the U.S. government targets foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian activism, marking an intensification of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
The Trump administration has increased efforts to penalize foreign students participating in demonstrations against the war in Gaza, with hundreds of student visas rescinded. United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed last week that the policy will continue at full force.
“If you apply for a visa to enter the United States and be a student, and you tell us that the reason why you’re coming to the United States is not just because you want to write op-eds, but because you want to participate in movements that are involved in doing things like vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, creating a ruckus, we’re not going to give you a visa,” Rubio said. “If you lie to us and get a visa, then enter the United States, and with that visa, participate in that sort of activity, we’re going to take away your visa.”
This crackdown is part of a broader effort to address activities that the administration views as harmful to U.S. interests. While Rubio has emphasized the importance of maintaining order on college campuses, activists and legal observers argue that the policy infringes on students' rights to peacefully protest and express their political views.
“If they’re harmless and not a nuisance, then why is there a penalty? If they aren’t hurting anyone or anything, then why are they being punished?” said Gerard Dee, a local international student. “They are here legally and have an opinion. They have the freedom to protest. You can go to someone else’s country and have an opinion and express it. They may not like it, but you can still say something. That just shows that the leaders making these decisions have very thin skin and can’t handle opposing opinions.”
The response from universities remains uncertain as the number of visa revocations and arrests rises. Students and faculty across the country are bracing for further actions from the administration, raising concerns about academic freedom and the right to free expression on campuses.
