State Department Revokes 6,000+ Student Visas, Targeting Palestinian Activists

The State Department revoked over 6,000 student visas, including 200-300 for alleged ‘support for terrorism,’ with particular focus on students participating in pro-Palestinian protests and criticism of Israel’s Gaza war. A Tufts student was detained for six weeks after co-writing an opinion piece criticizing Israel’s conduct.

Context: Around 4,000 visas were canceled for alleged law violations including assault and DUI. Trump administration officials stated student visa and green card holders face deportation for supporting Palestinians or criticizing Israel, calling their actions threats to U.S. foreign policy and accusing them of being pro-Hamas. Students who participated in campus encampments or showed solidarity with Palestine were specifically targeted.

Significance: Weaponizing immigration enforcement to punish political speech and activism violates First Amendment protections. Equating criticism of Israeli government policy with terrorism chills academic freedom and criminalizes dissent. Mass visa revocations for protected speech demonstrate how immigration powers can be deployed to silence opposition and enforce ideological conformity, particularly on behalf of foreign governments.