U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a new crackdown on pro-Palestinian protesters on American college campuses, vowing to take action against those who support terrorism and anti-Semitism. This comes after the recent arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a demonstration leader at Columbia University in New York.
In a statement on his social media platform Truth Social, President Trump stated, “We know there are more students at Columbia and other universities across the country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it.”
Khalil, a Syrian national and graduate student at Columbia’s School of International Affairs, was arrested by U.S. immigration officials over the weekend. He was a prominent figure in the protest movement that erupted at Columbia and other campuses last year in opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza against the U.S.-designated terror group Hamas. However, the protests died down and did not resume when the new school year opened last fall.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that Khalil’s arrest was taken “in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State.” Despite holding a permanent U.S. residency green card and being married to an American citizen who is eight months pregnant, Khalil has not been charged with any criminal offenses.
President Trump made it clear that those who support terrorism and the killing of innocent men, women, and children are not welcome in the United States. He expects all colleges and universities to comply with this stance.
The protests last year, which disrupted classes at some U.S. campuses, were sparked by Hamas’ terror attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of about 250 hostages, with about two dozen of them still being held in Gaza by the terror group or its affiliates. In response, Israel launched a counteroffensive in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of over 48,000 Palestinians, including many women and children. The Israeli military has stated that the death toll includes 17,000 Hamas terrorists.
The protests on campus also ignited accusations of anti-Semitism, with clashes between students protesting Israel’s conduct and pro-Israel campaigners, many of whom were Jewish. Khalil’s arrest has further fueled these accusations.
Khalil’s lawyer stated that the agents who arrested him on Saturday at his university-owned home near Columbia said they were revoking his green card. He is currently being held in an immigration detention center in Louisiana.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a national Muslim civil rights advocacy group, has condemned Khalil’s arrest and is working with his lawyer for his immediate release. They argue that Khalil, who has not been charged with any crime, is a lawful permanent resident of the United States and that his arrest is a violation of his First Amendment rights to free speech.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also expressed support for the administration’s actions, stating that they will be “revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.” Khalil’s arrest is the first publicly known deportation effort linked to the Palestinian protests since the Trump administration took office in January.
During last year’s protests, Khalil and other student leaders of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest student group denied accusations of anti-Semitism, stating that they were part of a broader anti-war movement that included Jewish students and other groups. However, the divestment group has also expressed support for leaders of both Hamas and Hezbollah, another designated terrorist group.
It is unclear when Khalil will have a hearing in an immigration court, which is typically the first step in the deportation process. He was one of the most visible activists in last year’s protests at Columbia, serving as a negotiator for students who erected a tent encampment on campus. The Trump administration has also opened an investigation into Khalil, and a new Columbia office has brought disciplinary charges against dozens of students for their pro-Palestinian protests.
In a recent move, the Trump administration revoked $400 million in federal funding from Columbia, citing the school’s failure to address anti-Semitism on campus. This decision has sparked debate and criticism, with some arguing that it is an attack on free speech and others supporting the administration’s actions.
In conclusion, President Trump’s vow to crack down on pro-Palestinian protesters on American college campuses has sparked controversy and debate. While some argue that these actions are necessary to combat anti-Semitism and support
