Secretary of State Marco Rubio said his office is reviewing the visa status of the masked anti-Israel protesters who were arrested after occupying Columbia University’s Butler Library
“We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia University’s library,” <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1920293818194178397" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rubio posted to X</a>. “Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation.”
The announcement comes as the Trump administration continues to crack down on foreign visa holders participating in activities aligned with terrorist organizations, such as the antisemitic protests on college campuses.
The keffiyeh-wearing protesters, carrying large signs and chanting, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/masked-anti-israel-activists-take-over-columbia-u-library-during-finals-no-one-expels-them?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Masked+Anti-Israel+Activists+Take+Over+Columbia+U+Library+During+Finals.+No+One+Expels+Them" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invaded the library</a> to disrupt students studying for finals. While inside, the protesters vandalized walls and furniture <a href="https://x.com/CU_JewishAlumni/status/1920278419113124257" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and</a> graffitied “Columbia will burn for the martyrs” on a glass case.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zionists-dont-deserve-to-live-meet-the-leader-of-columbia-universitys-anti-israel-encampment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘ZIONISTS DON’T DESERVE TO LIVE’: MEET THE LEADER OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY’S ANTI-ISRAEL ENCAMPMENT</a>
The school’s anti-Israel group, Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), posted a <a href="https://x.com/ColumbiaBDS/status/1920199061950329089" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> declaring that “over 100 protesters have just flooded Columbia University for Palestine.” The <a href="https://cuapartheiddivest.substack.com/p/flood-butler-now-disruption-until">language</a> seems to be a nod to Hamas’s name for its October 7 massacre of over 1,000 Israeli civilians, dubbed “Operation Al-Aqsa flood.”
The group declared <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-israels-national-security-minister-responds-to-bottle-throwing-yale-crowd?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=15&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Israel’s+National+Security+Minister+Responds+To+Bottle-Throwing+Yale+Crowd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that the protesters</a> were “reclaiming” the library “for the people” and renaming it “Basel Al-Araj Popular University.” Basel Al-Araj was a Palestinian revolutionary writer who was killed in 2017 during a firefight with the Israeli Defense Forces after opening fire and running out of ammunition, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/palestinian-killed-after-opening-fire-on-idf-forces-in-ramallah-483341#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the Jerusalem Post</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Watch this entitled brat vandalize the <a href="https://twitter.com/Columbia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@Columbia</a> library &#8211; without a single thought or care for the wage-earning custodians who will inevitably be called in to clean up this appalling damage. <a href="https://t.co/wJgGTfbWpY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/wJgGTfbWpY</a>
— Columbia Jewish Alumni Assoc. (@CU_JewishAlumni) <a href="https://twitter.com/CU_JewishAlumni/status/1920249214707380431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
When protesters tried to leave, they were denied by public safety officers who requested to see their IDs before leaving, causing the protest to intensify. For about five hours, the disruption continued until about 80 protesters were taken into custody by law enforcement officers and placed on police buses, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/07/us-news/masked-anti-israel-protesters-storm-columbia-library-shove-past-security-as-ivy-leaguers-prep-for-finals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the New York Post </a><a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/07/us-news/masked-anti-israel-protesters-storm-columbia-library-shove-past-security-as-ivy-leaguers-prep-for-finals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
<a href="https://x.com/ColumbiaBDS/status/1920472867206058486" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CUAD announced</a> on Thursday that all of their “comrades” who were arrested are now “free.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
“Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community,” acting Columbia president Claire Shipman said in <a href="https://x.com/CUJewsIsraelis/status/1920369526484484167" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a statement</a>.
Shipman added that two public safety officers were injured by the mob and that some of the demonstrators were not affiliated with Columbia University.
<a href="https://x.com/NYCMayor/status/1920254951139283103" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In a statement</a>, New York City Mayor Eric Adams encouraged the parents of the protesters to “call your children and make clear that breaking the law is wrong and they should exit the building immediately.&#8221; He added that those who do not attend Columbia should exit immediately or face arrest.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/homeland-security-to-screen-immigrants-and-foreign-students-social-media-for-anti-semitism?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=29&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Homeland+Security+To+Screen+Immigrants+And+Foreign+Students’+Social+Media+For+Anti-Semitism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOMELAND SECURITY TO SCREEN IMMIGRANTS AND FOREIGN STUDENTS’ SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ANTI-SEMITISM</a>
“To our Jewish New Yorkers, especially the students at Columbia University who feel threatened or unsafe attending class because of these events: know that your mayor stands with you and will always work to keep you safe.”
House Speaker <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1920458665179435091" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> thanked Rubio and President Donald Trump for cracking down on the protesters, adding that “America will no longer tolerate your <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-apologizes-for-inaction-after-students-antisemitic-abuser-pleads-guilty?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=35&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=University+Apologizes+For+Inaction+After+Student’s+Antisemitic+Abuser+Pleads+Guilty" target="_blank" rel="noopener">antisemitic violence</a>, destruction, harassment, and intimidation.”

Marco Rubio and Columbia University Protesters

Rubio Threatens To Snatch Visas From ‘Pro-Hamas Thugs’ At Columbia University

antisemitism

Columbia University

Hamas

Marco Rubio

Protests

Protests erupted in China late last month after factories were shut down due to President Donald Trump&#8217;s 145% tariff on the country.
Factory workers took to the streets in Suining, a city in the eastern Sichuan province, demanding back pay and claiming that the electronics factory where they work has not paid them since the beginning of the year, according to <a href="https://www.rfa.org/english/china/2025/04/29/china-us-tariff-protests-workers-wages/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Radio Free Asia</a>. Hundreds of workers at Guangxin Sports Goods in the Hunan Province also went on strike after the factory was closed. The company reportedly did not pay the workers their wages or Social Security benefits before shuttering the factory. Meanwhile, construction workers in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region of northern China, threatened to jump off a building if they were not paid their overdue wages, the outlet reported.
Chinese manufacturing is struggling as the country&#8217;s government pushes back on Trump&#8217;s tariff. According to China’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index, new orders for export were at their lowest level since the COVID pandemic, and manufacturing jobs were at their lowest level since February 2024, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/business/china-pmi-factory-manufacturing.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. China’s National Bureau of Statistics said the concerning decline was due to “sharp changes in the external environment,” adding that there are &#8220;no winners in trade wars,&#8221; according to the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/3f81cec8-6d0c-4a11-97d3-2cbe78a5e284" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Financial Times</a>.
Goldman Sachs estimates that around 16 million jobs in many Chinese industries are at risk due to Trump&#8217;s tariff, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/06/world-news/protests-erupt-in-china-as-trumps-steep-tariffs-bite-extremely-anxious/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. China quietly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-feels-the-pain-exempts-40-billion-worth-of-u-s-imports-from-tariffs?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=China+Feels+The+Pain%2C+Exempts+%2440+Billion+Worth+Of+U.S.+Imports+From+Tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moved</a> to help ease the pain of the tariff on its economy last week, exempting around $40 billion worth of U.S. imports from its 125% retaliatory tariff on American goods.
While Trump and his administration officials continue to say they are speaking to the Chinese government behind the scenes, there has still been no formal meeting for trade talks between the two countries. The president <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/trump-tariffs-live-updates-trump-hints-at-pharma-duties-no-plans-to-talk-to-chinas-xi-191201388.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> NBC’s &#8220;Meet the Press&#8221; over the weekend that he would &#8220;lower&#8221; the tariff on China &#8220;at some point,&#8221; adding that &#8220;they want to do business very much.&#8221;
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week that the trade war is “not sustainable on the Chinese side” and the Chinese economy is already &#8220;slowing down substantially.” Bessent suggested that the communist government would soon give in to trade talks.
China’s Commerce Ministry <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/world/asia/china-us-tariffs-talks.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that it is &#8220;evaluating&#8221; the United States&#8217; offer to sit down for negotiations, but added that the country will only engage if the Trump administration ends its tariff on Chinese goods.

China

Trump’s Tariff Sparks Protests In China As Factories Shutter Amid Trade War

Communist China

Donald Trump

Economy

strike

Tariffs

Trade War

World

When I enrolled at Indiana University I never thought I would see my peers graffiti “DIVEST NOW” across campus buildings and sidewalks. Now, to make matters worse, those same activists are threatening the university itself with ultimatums and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCffDcmxmyn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demands</a>.
“IU has until January 13 to respond, or we escalate.”
As a Jewish student at IU, I’ve witnessed firsthand how their actions have disrupted our campus. Their constant protests, graffiti, and inflammatory rhetoric haven’t just created tension, they’ve made Jewish students feel unsafe and unwelcome. Let’s be clear: the demands they’re making aren’t just unrealistic — they’re reckless. Their tantrums have hijacked campus discourse, turning what should be a place for learning into a battleground of intimidation.
So, what exactly are their demands? It’s complicated.
For starters, they’ve called for the resignation of our administrative leaders, including IU President Pam Whitten, Provost Rahul Shrivastav, and Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Carrie Docherty. Why? Because, according to IU Divest, these administrators failed to properly respond to the group’s accusations—accusations grounded in rhetoric that many students, including myself, see as <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-801408" target="_blank" rel="noopener">antisemitic</a>.
The coalition’s second demand, and the basis for their name, is that IU <a href="https://iuidivest.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">immediately divest</a> from any Israeli-affiliated organization. They specifically target IU’s <a href="https://www.idsnews.com/article/2025/01/iudc-protest-bloomington-faculty-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener">partnership</a> with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, an institution involved in research collaborations.
But here’s the reality: In 2016, the state of Indiana passed a <a href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2016/bills/house/1378/details" target="_blank" rel="noopener">law</a> prohibiting public funds from supporting institutions that discriminate against Israeli entities. If IU were to adopt the BDS movement’s goals, the university could lose over <a href="https://www.idsnews.com/article/2025/01/iudc-protest-bloomington-faculty-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$250 million</a> in state funding. That includes money for faculty salaries, scholarships, research, and major campus projects.
Beyond the financial catastrophe, such a move would isolate IU from world-class Israeli institutions in medicine, technology, and academia. It would destroy opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Instead of fostering global dialogue, it would send a clear message that certain students and scholars aren’t welcome. IU would become less attractive to anyone who values academic freedom and global engagement.
And for what? Just to placate the tantrums of homegrown <a href="https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/opinion/columns/2024/12/08/column-indiana-university-antisemitic-pro-hamas-graffiti-must-stop/76771278007/">terror</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Tj4RwOpFg/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supporters</a> who seem more interested in performative outrage than constructive dialogue?
Then there’s IU Divest’s version of “activism.”
Since Hamas’s murder of 1,200 people on October 7, 2023, and the continued torture of Israeli hostages deep in the dungeons of Gaza, IU Divest continues to threaten the entire Indiana University and Bloomington community with their incessant calls for “resistance” and flagrant intimidation of Jewish students.
For example, two days after their “deadline,” the word &#8216;DIVEST&#8217;, accompanied by Palestinian flags, was <a href="https://x.com/StopAntisemites/status/1879526605481033832">spray-painted</a> in the snow in Dunn Meadow — facing Chabad, a place for Jewish students to gather, a cornerstone of IU’s Jewish student life. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Jewish students at Indiana University were shocked to find &#39;DIVEST&#39; and Palestinian flags painted in the snow outside the campus Chabad—a disturbing act of targeted harassment. 
We urge <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianaUniv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndianaUniv</a> to take this incident seriously and conduct a thorough investigation… <a href="https://t.co/NTCOCgSNa2">pic.twitter.com/NTCOCgSNa2</a>
&mdash; StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) <a href="https://twitter.com/StopAntisemites/status/1879526605481033832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Months earlier, the statue of <a href="https://www.idsnews.com/article/2024/10/iu-statue-vandalism-herman-b-wells-iupd-search-warrants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herman B Wells</a>, a beloved IU figure, was defaced with red paint and a Palestinian flag. Around the same time, a fake bomb was left outside the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering causing panic and fear across the campus community.
Right now, Israel is being pressured to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners — many convicted of violent crimes — in exchange for just a few hostages. The irony of IU Divest’s self-righteous language is hard to ignore.
So, if it’s public knowledge that IU can’t legally adopt BDS without devastating consequences, why is the coalition still pushing this?
With all of this in mind, it seems reasonable to wonder if these student activists are merely ignorant ideologues or if this is all just political theater disguising a bigger urge to take out their personal inadequacies on IU’s proud, local Jewish minority.
The group is either ignorant or deliberately trying to intimidate Jewish students at IU. Hopefully, it’s now clear what “divest now” really means for IU and why supporting such a misguided movement is harmful.
This is exactly why Indiana’s state law includes the IHRA definition of antisemitism—because it recognizes the link between movements like BDS and real-world harassment. It’s comforting to see IU’s administration standing firm, but as students, we also have a responsibility to call this out. No student should be silenced. No university should be threatened into breaking the law. And no campaign should be allowed to hide its hostility behind slogans and spray paint.
* * *
Rachel Applefield is a senior at Indiana University studying Law and Public Policy with a minor in Social Welfare Advocacy and a 2024-2025 CAMERA on Campus Fellow.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Campus scene University of Indiana Bloomington

Antisemitic ‘Activists’ Have Turned My Campus Into A Battleground Of Intimidation

Anti-Semitism

College

Education

Indiana University

Israel

Jewish

Opinion

Pro-Hamas

Students

Harvard University said on Monday that it would not comply with President Donald Trump&#8217;s demand to dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and do more to curb student anti-Israel protests.
The Trump administration is currently reviewing around $9 billion in federal funding that Harvard receives and could move to cut those funds after the university&#8217;s pushback. Earlier this month, the Trump administration sent a list of demands to Harvard, including banning masks at protests and gutting DEI on campus. Last week, the Trump administration specified that it wants Harvard to abolish anti-Israel student groups and expel students who were involved in altercations during the 2023 anti-Israel protest on the campus.
Harvard shot back on Monday, with its president, Alan M. Garber, writing, &#8220;No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,&#8221; The Harvard Crimson <a href="https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/4/15/harvard-denies-trump-demands/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Garber added, “Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard.”
Lawyers representing the university also wrote a <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Harvard-Response-2025-04-14.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to Trump administration officials, stating that &#8220;Harvard is committed to fighting antisemitism and other forms of bigotry in its community,&#8221; but arguing that Trump&#8217;s demands &#8220;circumvent Harvard’s statutory rights by requiring unsupported and disruptive remedies for alleged harms that the government has not proven through mandatory processes established by Congress and required by law.&#8221;
Anti-Israel protests hit Harvard&#8217;s campus in the wake of Hamas&#8217; October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel. The university was accused of ignoring antisemitism on campus, and in 2023, then-Harvard President Claudine Gay refused to say before Congress that calling for genocide against Jews violated Harvard’s rules. Earlier this year, Harvard <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harvard-settles-two-anti-semitism-lawsuits-after-trump-sworn-in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">settled</a> two lawsuits that alleged the school mishandled antisemitism on campus.
In May of 2024, Harvard <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harvard-takes-action-against-dozens-of-students-involved-in-anti-israel-encampment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">punished</a> dozens of students who took part in an anti-Israel protest and encampment, including blocking some students from graduating.
The Trump administration has zeroed in on Ivy League universities that have pushed DEI policies or have been hotbeds of anti-Israel sentiment. Last month, Trump revoked $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University. Columbia, however, has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/columbia-university-agrees-to-trumps-demands-to-ban-masks-empower-campus-police">agreed</a> to meet Trump&#8217;s demands and do more to push back against radical anti-Israel demonstrations and radicalization on campus.
Trump has also frozen funding for Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, and Princeton University.

Harvard

Harvard Rejects Trump’s Demands As White House Considers Yanking Billions In Federal Funding

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Ivy League

Politics

Trump Administration

Columbia University made <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/columbia-u-prez-gets-flak-from-faculty-for-not-fighting-harder-against-trump">headlines</a> for accepting the Trump administration’s <a href="https://president.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/03.21.2025%20Columbia%20-%20FINAL.pdf">demands</a>: in exchange for the restoration of over $400 million in federal funding — which the federal government revoked from Columbia due to its failure to address violent campus anti-Semitism, a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — the university will expel disruptive students, increase campus security, review its admissions policy, and place certain departments under academic receivership.
The mainstream is, unsurprisingly, aghast. “Columbia has capitulated to the bullies,” <a href="https://www.nyclu.org/press-release/columbia-university-gives-in-to-trump-admin-demands-eroding-academic-freedom-and-student-speech" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read</a> a statement from the ACLU of New York.
It’s an interesting choice of word, “bullies,” and, for Columbia, rather convenient. Based on <a href="https://freebeacon.com/campus/what-columbia-university-president-really-told-faculty-members/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaked internal conversations</a> from Columbia, administrators likely would prefer to seem as though they were rapidly bullied into submission by the big bad Republican President of the United States than be forced to admit the reality: that they had been bullied into submission by their own students and faculty over the course of a decade, and now finally have an opportunity to excise extremism from their ranks.
Indeed, the story of the past 15 years or so of American academic life is a story of profound cowardice: people who should have known better and who, in the case of tenured faculty, had the power to act per their conscience without risking their livelihoods, chose instead to give in to a small group of entitled campus radicals who made increasingly deranged demands — campus inquisitions for the accused, struggle sessions for dissidents, a near-total shutdown of academic freedom — while demonstrating poor behavior and poor scholarship that in a saner era would not only have gotten them expelled or fired, but publicly ridiculed.
Eventually, as the dust from the COVID era began to settle and the failures of liberal orthodoxy became apparent, it became more acceptable to discuss internal problems. By 2022, professors began to admit publicly that their students were <a href="https://www.chronicle.com/article/a-stunning-level-of-student-disconnection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worse off</a> emotionally and academically after the pandemic, and that colleges had tossed out expectations for them, beginning in the <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/05/on-college-admissions-its-the-woke-fringe-vs-everyone-else/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admissions department</a>; that spring, MIT became the first elite university to <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2022/stuart-schmill-sat-act-requirement-0328" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bring</a> back its standardized testing requirement after relaxing it during the pandemic.
But the real watershed moment on American campuses was October 7, 2023, as college students across the country cheered for murderous Hamas terrorists. For the first time since the Obama administration, there was real internal debate within the liberal mainstream about what had happened to academia, not just with respect to Israel but with respect to the entire toxic sludge of ideology that long preceded the Hamas attack. In December of 2023, the Chronicle of Higher Education, perhaps the nation’s most prominent academic newspaper, <a href="https://www.chronicle.com/article/a-decade-of-ideological-transformation-comes-undone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> a story titled, “A Decade of Ideological Transformation Comes Undone.” Wrote Lee Gutkin, “College leaders have discovered, maybe too late, that the habit of validation has left them incapable of managing institutions in which real and deep disagreements exist.”
Gutkin was right: when Columbia and other universities were confronted in the spring of the 2023-24 academic year with protests far more objectionable than in the fall, administrators failed to act. At Columbia, things got so bad that even non-Jewish janitors are now filing a Title VI complaint, claiming they were <a href="https://www.thejc.com/news/world/columbia-university-janitors-claim-anti-israel-encampment-accused-them-of-being-jew-lovers-and-spray-painted-swastikas-around-campus-aegd9g7s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> “Jew lovers” by an antisemitic mob and forced to scrub swastikas and other antisemitic graffiti.
Columbia, specifically, did too little too late, disciplining only 40 of the hundreds of students involved and then <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/suspension-most-columbia-students-disciplined-over-gaza-protests-is-removed-2024-08-20/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restoring</a> 38 of them to campus the following academic year. While the university’s schizophrenic actions led to allegations of unfair treatment by both sides, they mostly just showed spinelessness.
It appears now that administrators had been hoping for an out. <a href="https://president.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/03.21.2025%20Columbia%20-%20FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Columbia’s plan</a> goes far deeper than the Trump administration’s demands of cracking down on anti-Semitism and physical violence: the university is also committing to institutional neutrality, hiring more intellectually diverse faculty, creating spaces for open discourse, and reviewing its admissions practices.
These are not the actions of a university that is begrudgingly complying with a hostile government; they are the actions of administrators who have found an excellent excuse — money — to disregard the activists they were previously beholden to and recommit themselves to the teaching and research that they should have been focusing on all along. As the co-chair of Columbia’s anti-Semitism task force <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/nyregion/columbia-response-trump-demands.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The New York Times, “What’s fascinating to me is a lot of these are things we needed to get done and were getting done, but now we’ve gotten done more quickly.”
While there is not a single university that actively wants its federal funding revoked, the looming threat of losing federal funding — one that the Trump administration has now made clear it is willing to make good on — may be excuse enough for the saner voices in universities to attempt to deradicalize. Whatever university administrators may say publicly, they may very well silently be thanking the Trump administration.
* * *
Neeraja Deshpande is an education policy analyst at Independent Women’s Forum (iwf.org).
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

TOPSHOT-US-ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-education-COLUMBIA-demonstration

Columbia University Wanted This

ACLU

American Universities

anti-Israel

Department of Education

Leftists

New York City

President Trump

Pro-Palestinian

Violence

For two years, my soft voice was drowned out at Columbia University, smothered by deafening roars outside our windows. I was spoken over, screamed past, pushed aside by mobs whose chants turned threats into anthems.
I live with a rare form of muscular dystrophy. My predicted lifespan was four years. While I defied the odds, never has my voice been more silenced.
Throughout my life I have faced immense adversity, yet I have prevailed by becoming the first person with my condition to walk the New York Fashion Week runway (February, 2023), the first person with my condition to climb a mountain (Camelback Mountain in Arizona 2022) — producing an internationally awarded documentary combating disability stereotypes — and most recently setting a Guinness World Record for the fastest swim time in my category.
My limited energy is normally invested in advocating for others, but for the first time, my very means of advocacy was heartlessly stolen from me.
For two years, my faint tones were consumed by a campus that refused to listen, dismissed by an administration that chose appeasement over accountability, ignored by a culture that demanded my silence in the name of supposed progress.
For two years, voices chanted for the destruction of my people, fists raised in protest not merely for justice, but for erasure, all while those in power stood by in cowardice. Mobs that disregarded our accessibility and our right to belong stormed our campus walk as I scooted in search of a single accessible entrance. While I fought for a space to exist, countless others with disabilities, some bound to their wheelchairs, were left navigating a campus that refused to see us, let alone accommodate our basic needs. Our identities became a debate, and our safety an afterthought.
Yet my purpose is not to debate the hostility, prove our right to exist, or even to justify our presence at this university. Rather, my purpose is to emphasize one simple truth: now, at last, my soft voice can be heard. Unfortunately, the silence that once suffocated me, was only exhaled in response to intensified government intervention. This government intervention is nothing new and has brought forth three harsh realities: (a) The freedom of a Jew comes at a troubling cost (b) History is repeating itself and (c) Columbia&#8217;s cowardly silence has perpetuated further hostility and segregation – their indifference must end now.
At an unfortunate cost, the world is now witnessing what it takes for Jewish students to experience basic campus safety and dignity. The Trump administration’s cancellation of $400 million in funding, along with the detainment of a former student protest leader with alleged ties to Hamas, has widened the nation&#8217;s eyes to one chilling truth: Columbia’s failure to uphold the rights of Jewish students was not appropriately corrected by institutional conscience but rather it required external force, exposing the depths of negligence.
Columbia’s government funding was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/doj-hhs-ed-and-gsa-announce-initial-cancelation-grants-and-contracts-columbia-university">revoked</a> in direct response to “the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.” This is a profound failure of humanity, that restoring safety required government intervention at the expense of fundamental freedoms. The price of inaction was paid through imposed financial costs, an obligation that should have been paid through moral courage. It was not.
For a Jew to attend class freely, must a child with cancer lose access to life-saving research?
For a Jew to walk through campus freely, must an international student fear detainment?
For a Jew to learn without threats, must a groundbreaking cure remain locked away due to defunded research?
For a Jew to simply exist, must a first-generation student lose access to financial aid?
Have we truly arrived at another moment in time where, for a Jew to express their identity openly, the future of innovation, education, and opportunity must be compromised? Where an engineering breakthrough must be halted and countless other students must suffer collateral damage simply because Columbia University refused to act until it was forced?
The university administration’s cowardly silence is screaming! While government intervention has never been more necessary, agony pulses through my veins at the realization that this is where campus life has arrived. The university administration had every opportunity to protect its students, yet chose to allow the escalation of intolerance and violence against their Jewish students. And now, that silence has been replaced with an even louder reckoning, one that should never have come at such a cost.
Now, the campus is silent. But this silence has not emerged from understanding or reflection. Campus silence exists only because the cost of inaction became too great — the silence is screaming!
History has proven – that government mandates do not equate to inherent justice. Canceling government funding for needed research and resources is truly an unfortunate crossroads between morality and human equality. Throughout history, intensified government intervention, though imperative, has proven to deepen divisions, inflame resentment, and fuel further segregation.
In 1954, reluctance to properly integrate black children into the school system, following the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling against racial segregation (1954), persisted. Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus refused to integrate Little Rock Central High School or to protect Black students from violent mobs, making federal intervention essential. In September of 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent federal troops to forcibly escort nine Black students, known as “The Little Rock Nine,” into the school. While governmental mandates undoubtedly served as one necessary step towards respect for all, one consequence was generational racial strife.
Columbia&#8217;s suffocating silence is the true culprit, forcing external action where institutional courage should have prevailed. The silence on campus will be temporary if Columbia’s leadership refuses to take meaningful action.
Columbia’s administration must summon the courage to acknowledge the undeniable truth, only then will we cultivate true respect for all. One can be Muslim, Jewish, Christian, tall, short, in a wheelchair or running freely. One can come from any faith, culture, or any physical ability but at Columbia one principle must consistently hold true: that all academic thinkers can and should be safely welcomed. When policies are upheld, order will follow.
We must not allow the tides of academic accountability to shift along with the ever changing waves of podcast trends, political climate, public opinion, or what funding is or is not received.
True racial, cultural and ability equality will not persist if Columbia University does not speak up and clearly condemn the open disrespect of students. The current silence is deafening.
Dear Columbia University leadership: dig deep and draw from the depths of your hearts and souls to shatter your indifference and proclaim that respect for all will no longer be up for debate. I urge you to speak out online, in print, and, most critically, stand in person at the Columbia Sundial, a historic gathering place at the heart of campus. The institution’s declaration of justice and respect for all is crucial for both the present and future. Please, replace your silence with a bold message to our diverse, complex world, memorializing it for those not yet born.
Take it from me, someone whose soft voice speaks against the odds – our campus’s silence is screaming.
* * *
Lilian Brasch is an undergraduate student and ability activist at Columbia University, class of 2025.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

US-ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-PROTEST

At Columbia University, The Silence Is Screaming

Disability

Radical Islam

Gazans took to the streets Tuesday to call for an end to Hamas rule in a rare display of opposition to the terrorist group.
Protesters marched through Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza carrying white flags, demanding Hamas end its rule, and calling for the Israeli hostages to be released, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-847577" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Jerusalem Post reported</a>.
In a video posted by the Center for Peace Communications, protesters are heard chanting, “‘Hamas get out!’ Gaza&#8217;s people don&#8217;t want wars. They demand the end of Hamas&#8217;s rule. They demand peace.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨Anti-Hamas protests break out in Gaza
“The people are chanting, ‘Hamas get out!’ Gaza&#8217;s people don&#8217;t want wars. They demand the end of Hamas&#8217;s rule. They demand peace.&#8221;
Watch: <a href="https://t.co/aBNmXS5E5G" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/aBNmXS5E5G</a>
— Center for Peace Communications (@PeaceComCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeaceComCenter/status/1904572896845922544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In Khan Younis, <a href="https://x.com/KhalilJeries/status/1904614555134631970" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protesters were reported chanting,</a> &#8220;Oh the shame, you sold Gaza with dollars,&#8221; and, &#8220;Hamas is a terrorist.&#8221;
In response, Hamas <a href="https://x.com/HowidyHamza/status/1904572074275774656" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> started to attack the protesters in the street.
Despite hundreds of protesters participating, outlets that often cover Hamas favorably, such as Al Jazeera, have yet to give the protests any significant coverage.
According to Palestinian peace activist Hamza Howidy, Al Jazeera’s Anas Al-Sharif avoided covering the protest and is instead working to twist the narrative of the protests.
“Al Jazeera&#8217;s journalist, who hid while the protestors were looking for anyone to cover the anti-war &amp; anti-Hamas protests, is working to change the narrative and the demands of the protestors; we want to end the war and Hamas to step down from ruling Gaza,” Howidy tweeted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Al Jazeera&#8217;s journalist, who hid while the protestors were looking for anyone to cover the anti-war &amp; anti-Hamas protests, is working to change the narrative and the demands of the protestors; we want to end the war and Hamas to step down from ruling Gaza. <a href="https://t.co/w1KvndXBAw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://t.co/w1KvndXBAw</a>
— Hamza (@HowidyHamza) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowidyHamza/status/1904590171867054146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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According to Palestinian Christian activist Khalil Sayegh, the leaders of Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood called on Hamas to end its control and are urging more protests to take place tomorrow at noon.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Breaking 🚨: Shejaiya neighborhood Mokhtars (leaders) call on Hamas to end its control over the Gaza Strip and stop its people&#8217;s suffering. They are also calling for protests in Shejaiya tomorrow at noon. <a href="https://t.co/vcZfhh4bU8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/vcZfhh4bU8</a>
— Khalil Sayegh (@KhalilJeries) <a href="https://twitter.com/KhalilJeries/status/1904619679403979175?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The assembly of the Southern Gaza clans also called for a “popular uprising” against Hamas, accusing them of selling and gambling with Palestinian blood for their own interests, according to Sayegh.
The protests marked the first time Gazans had taken to the streets to call for peace since January 2024, though those protests were smaller.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-eliminates-dozens-of-top-hamas-leaders-following-ceasefire-collapse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Over the past week</a>, Israel eliminated more than a dozen Hamas leaders, many of whom were key to maintaining Hamas’ control over Gaza’s population, beyond just its militant operations.
In addition to air strikes, IDF troops have begun ground activities in central and southern Gaza to create a buffer zone between the north and south of the strip.
Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened last week to annex parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas continues to refuse to release the 59 hostages held by the terror group.
“I have instructed the IDF to seize additional areas in Gaza, evacuate the population, and expand security zones around Gaza to protect Israeli communities and IDF soldiers,” Katz said, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Jerusalem Post. “The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed to Israel.”

PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT

Rare Anti-Hamas Protests Erupt In Gaza As Residents Call For Peace

Gaza

Students involved in seizing Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall in the spring of 2024 have been suspended, expelled, and had their degrees temporarily revoked.
The university <a href="https://communications.news.columbia.edu/news/university-statement-regarding-ujb-determinations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the punishments on Thursday but did not reveal their identities or how many students were punished.
“Today, the Columbia University Judicial Board determined findings and issued sanctions to students ranging from multi-year suspensions, temporary degree revocations, and expulsions related to the occupation of Hamilton Hall last spring,” the Ivy League school said. “With respect to other events taking place last spring, the UJB’s determinations recognized previously imposed disciplinary action. The return of suspended students will be overseen by Columbia’s University Life Office. Columbia is committed to enforcing the University’s Rules and Policies and improving our disciplinary processes.”
Columbia students took over Hamilton Hall in an escalation of violent protests that began on college campuses across the country following the October 7, 2023, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/one-year-later-the-7-lessons-of-october-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">massacre</a> of Israeli citizens by members of the terrorist group Hamas. One of the leaders of the anti-Israel protests at Columbia was Mahmoud Khalil, who is currently in the process of being deported by the Trump administration, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-ice-detains-anti-israel-activist-who-led-campus-protests-at-columbia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Many Democrats supported and even encouraged the anti-Israel protests, which saw students harass and attack Jewish students, vandalize school buildings, and post signs with anti-Semitic slogans. At one point during the students’ occupation of Hamilton Hall, a janitor was allegedly “held hostage” by a group of students, including one who was the heir to millions in advertising money, the Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13391163/Columbia-janitor-hostage-Hamilton-hall-speaks.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Mario Torres, a father of two, <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/exclusive-columbia-custodian-trapped" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Free Press he was too scared to return to campus after the incident.
“It all comes down to the school, it&#8217;s not really public safety&#8217;s fault even though I felt abandoned by them,” Torres told the outlet.
“We don&#8217;t expect to go to work and get swarmed by an angry mob with rope and duct tape and masks and gloves,” Torres added.
After taking office, the Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-slashes-columbia-funding-citing-inaction-on-anti-semitic-harassment-on-campus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigated</a> Columbia’s handling of the protests and announced earlier this month that it would cancel around $400 million in federal grants to the school for its &#8220;continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.”
“Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses — only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-administration-cancels-400-million-grants-columbia-university-rcna195373" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement.
The school immediately began taking action to restore the funding.

Columbia University Anti-Israel Protest

Columbia University Expels, Revokes Degrees From Students Who Seized Campus Building

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed late on Sunday that Mahmoud Khalil, who was a student-activist who helped lead anti-Israel protests at Columbia University last spring, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-ice-detains-anti-israel-activist-who-led-campus-protests-at-columbia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detained</a> in New York City over the weekend.
&#8220;On March 9, 2025, in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student. Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization,&#8221; DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin announced in a statement given to The Daily Wire.
McLaughlin added that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is part of DHS, and the State Department &#8220;are committed to enforcing President Trump’s executive orders and to protecting U.S. national security.&#8221;
Sources said Khalil, identified in the press as a lead <a href="https://www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/03/09/palestinian-activist-mahmoud-khalil-sipa-24-detained-by-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-lawyer-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">negotiator</a> for the &#8220;Gaza Solidarity Encampment,&#8221; graduated in December. He was taken into custody overnight by ICE at his university-owned apartment in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Fox News&#8217; Alexis McAdams reported in a <a href="https://x.com/alexismcadamstv/status/1898794208296898646?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A prominent Palestinian activist &#8211; who students say was a leader of protests and encampments on the Columbia University campus for months &#8211; has been arrested by ICE, according to sources.
I’m told Mahmoud Khalil was taken into custody last night at his university-owned apartment… <a href="https://t.co/CsFU3wfmnX">pic.twitter.com/CsFU3wfmnX</a>
&mdash; Alexis McAdams (@AlexisMcAdamsTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexisMcAdamsTV/status/1898794208296898646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Khalil&#8217;s attorney, Amy Greer, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-15014bcbb921f21a9f704d5acdcae7a8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Associated Press that she was informed that the immigration authorities acted under State Department orders to revoke her client&#8217;s student visa and green card. Greer also said authorities declined to tell Khalil&#8217;s wife, who is eight months pregnant, the reason for the arrest.
&#8220;We have not been able to get any more details about why he is being detained,&#8221; the attorney told the news outlet, adding, &#8220;This is a clear escalation. The administration is following through on its threats.&#8221;
A habeas corpus petition on Mahmoud&#8217;s behalf &#8220;challenging the validity of his arrest and detention&#8221; was filed overnight, Greer said, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/ice-arrests-palestinian-activist-green-card-columbia-university/story?id=119616144" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per ABC News</a>. Greer added, &#8220;Currently we do not know Mahmoud&#8217;s precise whereabouts.&#8221;
Under a new State Department &#8220;Catch and Revoke&#8221; effort first <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/06/state-department-ai-revoke-foreign-student-visas-hamas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by Axios, visas of foreign nationals who appear to be &#8220;pro-Hamas&#8221; are canceled.
A State Department spokesperson told The Daily Wire that visa records are confidential under U.S. law and they &#8220;cannot comment on individual visa cases,&#8221; but Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://x.com/marcorubio/status/1898858967532441945" target="_blank" rel="noopener">replied</a> on X to the Associated Press report on Khalil&#8217;s arrest, saying, &#8220;We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.&#8221;
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) <a href="https://x.com/SenTomCotton/status/1898003982309585394" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X: &#8220;A green card or student visa does not give individuals the right to break our laws, harass our students, and openly sympathize with terrorists. I commend Secretary Rubio for taking swift action and revoking the visas of those involved in criminal activity.&#8221;
Protests erupted at Columbia University and other institutions after Israel went to war against Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 terrorist attacks in 2023, leading to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-senators-demand-biden-admin-crack-down-on-campus-anti-semitism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> of harassment and acts of anti-Semitism on campuses. The Associated Press noted that when classes resumed in September, Khalil told the outlet, &#8220;As long as Columbia continues to invest and to benefit from Israeli apartheid, the students will continue to resist.&#8221;
Also on Sunday, Columbia University released a <a href="https://communications.news.columbia.edu/news/statement-ice-reports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that announced: &#8220;There have been reports of ICE around campus. Columbia has and will continue to follow the law. Consistent with our longstanding practice and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including University buildings. Columbia is committed to complying with all legal obligations and supporting our student body and campus community.&#8221;

Mahmoud Khalil

Anti-Israel Activist Detained By ICE ‘Led Activities Aligned To Hamas,’ Trump’s DHS Says

Department of Homeland Security

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Manhattan

New York

Terrorism

Over the weekend, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents reportedly detained an activist who participated in the anti-Israel protests at Columbia University last spring.
Fox News&#8217; Alexis McAdams <a href="https://x.com/alexismcadamstv/status/1898794208296898646?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X that sources told her that Mahmoud Khalil, identified as a lead <a href="https://www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/03/09/palestinian-activist-mahmoud-khalil-sipa-24-detained-by-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-lawyer-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">negotiator</a> for the &#8220;Gaza Solidarity Encampment&#8221; who graduated in December, was taken into custody by ICE at his university-owned apartment in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. She also noted that student groups are &#8220;demanding&#8221; his release.
Khalil&#8217;s attorney said federal authorities detained her client on Saturday night. Online records <a href="https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">show</a> a &#8220;Mahmoud Khalil&#8221; from Syria is in ICE custody at a detention facility in New Jersey.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A prominent Palestinian activist &#8211; who students say was a leader of protests and encampments on the Columbia University campus for months &#8211; has been arrested by ICE, according to sources.
I’m told Mahmoud Khalil was taken into custody last night at his university-owned apartment… <a href="https://t.co/CsFU3wfmnX">pic.twitter.com/CsFU3wfmnX</a>
&mdash; Alexis McAdams (@AlexisMcAdamsTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexisMcAdamsTV/status/1898794208296898646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The arrest seems to be linked to a new State Department &#8220;Catch and Revoke&#8221; effort first <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/06/state-department-ai-revoke-foreign-student-visas-hamas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by Axios in which visas of foreign nationals who appear to be &#8220;pro-Hamas&#8221; are cancelled.
An unnamed official <a href="https://freebeacon.com/campus/columbia-encampment-negotiator-in-ice-custody-after-trump-admin-revokes-his-student-visa-state-department-official-confirms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cited</a> by the Free Beacon said Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed the visa revocation and told the news outlet: &#8220;This should serve as a warning to foreign students on temporary status in America — under this administration, if you support terror groups, we will deport you.&#8221;
Khalil&#8217;s attorney, Amy Greer, said federal immigration officials claimed they were acting on a State Department order to revoke her client&#8217;s green card, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-15014bcbb921f21a9f704d5acdcae7a8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a> (AP). Greer also said authorities declined to tell Khalil&#8217;s wife, who is eight months pregnant, why her husband was arrested.
&#8220;We have not been able to get any more details about why he is being detained,&#8221; Greer told the AP. &#8220;This is a clear escalation. The administration is following through on its threats.&#8221;
A State Department spokesperson told The Daily Wire that visa records &#8220;are confidential under U.S. law. Therefore, we cannot comment on individual visa cases.&#8221; The spokesperson added, &#8220;For questions on removals or green card status, we refer you to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).&#8221;
The Daily Wire has also reached out to the Homeland Security Department — the parent agency of ICE — for comment.
On Sunday, Columbia University released a <a href="https://communications.news.columbia.edu/news/statement-ice-reports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that said: &#8220;There have been reports of ICE around campus. Columbia has and will continue to follow the law. Consistent with our longstanding practice and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including University buildings. Columbia is committed to complying with all legal obligations and supporting our student body and campus community.&#8221;
Protests erupted at Columbia University and other institutions after Israel went to war against Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 terrorist attacks in 2023, leading to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-senators-demand-biden-admin-crack-down-on-campus-anti-semitism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> of harassment and acts of anti-Semitism on campuses.
The Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-slashes-columbia-funding-citing-inaction-on-anti-semitic-harassment-on-campus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> last week that it canceled roughly $400 million in grants to Columbia University due to &#8220;inaction&#8221; on the &#8220;persistent harassment of Jewish students.&#8221;
Leo Terrell, senior counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and head of the Department of Justice Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/doj-hhs-ed-and-gsa-announce-initial-cancelation-of-grants-and-contracts-columbia-university-worth-400-million" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hinted</a> at further action: &#8220;Freezing the funds is one of the tools we are using to respond to this spike in anti-Semitism. This is only the beginning.&#8221;

Protest at Columbia U

Trump’s ICE Detains Anti-Israel Activist Who Led Campus Protests At Columbia

Palestinians

State Department

U.S.

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday morning that his administration would stop all federal funding for schools and universities &#8220;that allow illegal protests&#8221; on their campuses.
Trump announced the <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114104167452161158" target="_blank" rel="noopener">policy</a> in a post on Truth Social as some anti-Israel <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/barnard-anti-israel-protesters-take-over-buildings-disrupt-classes-as-bibas-family-laid-to-rest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protests</a> have again popped up on New York City campuses, such as Barnard College and Columbia University. The president added that any foreign &#8220;agitators&#8221; taking part in the protests could be deported while American citizens would face expulsion or arrest.
&#8220;All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.&#8221;
On Monday, the Trump administration <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2025/03/03/hhs-ed-gsa-announce-additional-measures-end-anti-semitic-harassment-college-campuses.html">threatened</a> to pull more than $50 million in government contracts with Columbia University and announced that it would review more than $5 billion worth of grants connected to the university to ensure that Jewish students&#8217; rights are being protected.
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, who was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-confirms-linda-mcmahon-to-lead-agency-that-trump-wants-to-dismantle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> by the Senate on Monday, said in a statement, &#8220;Unlawful encampments and demonstrations have completely paralyzed day-to-day campus operations, depriving Jewish students of learning opportunities to which they are entitled.&#8221;
In a statement on Monday night, Columbia said it would work with the White House to fight any anti-Semitism on its campus.
“Columbia is fully committed to combatting antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, and we are resolute that calling for, promoting, or glorifying violence or terror has no place at our University,” the school stated.
Last week, protesters at Barnard College, an affiliate of Columbia, took over a building on campus, chanting &#8220;From the river to the sea.&#8221; Barnard gave the students a 9:30 p.m. deadline last Wednesday to leave the building, or the administration would &#8220;consider additional, necessary measures to protect our campus.&#8221; At least three Barnard students were <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-844569" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> expelled for their involvement in the anti-Israel protest.
In late January, anti-Israel protesters at Columbia <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/radical-anti-israel-activists-at-columbia-pour-cement-into-toilets-disrupt-campus-operations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poured cement</a> into toilets in a campus building. The leftist activists reportedly detailed their plans beforehand on social media, saying they wanted to interfere with &#8220;business-as-usual,&#8221; the Washington Free Beacon <a href="https://freebeacon.com/campus/dumping-cement-into-sewage-system-columbia-university-radicals-deploy-tactics-they-studied-months-earlier-at-event-hosted-by-campus-org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The group behind the vandalism reportedly trained agitators on destructive tactics.
Columbia was rocked by large anti-Israel protests in the spring of 2024 as the war between Israel and Hamas continued. The activists set up an encampment on Columbia&#8217;s campus as they called on the administration to divest from Israel. The university administration attempted to negotiate with the protesters, but that failed, leading to dozens of students illegally occupying Hamilton Hall. University leaders then called on the NYPD to conduct a raid and end the occupation.
Other anti-Israel protests broke out at colleges across the country between the fall of 2023 and the spring of 2024. Leaders at colleges such as Columbia, the University of California Los Angeles, and the University of Pennsylvania were blasted for their response. Four Ivy League presidents, including Columbia President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/columbia-university-president-minouche-shafik-resigns-after-far-left-pro-hamas-protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Minouche Shafik</a> and Harvard President Claudine Gay, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-ivy-league-school-president-resigns-after-months-of-anti-israel-protests-on-campus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resigned</a> after facing criticism from the American public and Congress for their handling of the anti-Israel protests.

Trump Vows To Strip Federal Funding From Colleges ‘That Allow Illegal Protests’

UCLA issued an interim suspension to two pro-Palestinian student organizations on Wednesday after masked protesters allegedly vandalized Regent Jay Sures’ Brentwood home last week and reportedly harassed his wife.
Chancellor Julio Frenk announced that the two groups could no longer hold on-campus meetings, apply for funding, or formally associate with UCLA while officials <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-02-12/ucla-suspends-students-for-justice-in-palestine-jay-sures-protest">investigate</a> their alleged misconduct, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Frenk described the alleged harassment in a campus <a href="https://chancellor.ucla.edu/messages/a-stand-against-violence-in-our-community">update</a> on Wednesday:
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<blockquote>On February 5, 2025, individuals affiliated with the student groups harassed Mr. Sures and members of his family outside his home.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>Individuals surrounded the vehicle of a Sures family member and prevented that family member’s free movement.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>Individuals pounded on drums, chanting and holding signs with threatening messages such as “Sures you will pay, until you see your final day.”</blockquote>
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<blockquote>Individuals vandalized the Sures home by applying red-colored handprints to the outer walls of the home and hung banners on the property’s hedges.</blockquote>
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“This is not about me. I’m the target but this is about protecting every member of our community from intimidation and hate,” Sures said.
The Los Angeles Police Department is reportedly examining potential criminal charges stemming from the incident, and the university’s conduct proceedings for both organizations have no set end date.
The interim ban follows a trend of other University of California campuses halting the activities of Students for Justice in Palestine. UC Santa Cruz placed the group under suspension until 2026, with UC Irvine enacting a restriction through 2029. At UC San Diego, the organization faced charges related to campus disruptions last spring and did not renew its official status for the current academic year.
Kira Stein, who leads the Jewish Faculty Resilience Group at UCLA, welcomed the move. “We have a long list of SJP violations of university rules and regulations that we have been sharing with the administration,” Stein said, asserting that the group’s actions amount to “intimidation, harassment, and inflammatory disinformation.”
Meanwhile, the union representing university law enforcement encouraged UCLA officials “to demand prosecution” for any illegal conduct and emphasized that administrative responses should deter incidents that cross legal boundaries.
“Universities cannot allow lawlessness under the guise of activism,” said Wade Stern, who serves as the president of the Federated University Police Officers&#8217; Association.
The two student activist groups swiftly responded to UCLA&#8217;s decision on social media, describing the action as “crazy” and encouraging supporters to closely watch for updates.
In prior statements online, the organizations accused the UC system of “militarizing” campuses to stifle demonstrations, and they repeated calls for the university to cut financial ties with certain funds, weapons manufacturers, and other holdings allegedly linked to Israel.
University leaders, however, have publicly affirmed they do not intend to pursue divestment.

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