U.S. Revokes Over 300 Student Visas in Crackdown on Campus Activism

The U.S. State Department has revoked more than 300 student visas in a sweeping crackdown on campus activism, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed on Thursday. The move, part of the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement, targets foreign students allegedly involved in pro-Palestinian protests and other forms of political activism.

Speaking at a press conference in Guyana, Rubio confirmed that visa cancellations have become a routine measure. “It might be more than 300 at this point. We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas,” he stated, signaling the administration’s hardline stance.

Many of the students facing deportation were reportedly involved in the pro-Palestinian movement that swept U.S. campuses last year. Although the administration has not explicitly confirmed that the deportations are linked to the students’ political views, at least one individual sought by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appeared on far-right pro-Israel watchlists.

In recent months, the administration has ramped up deportations of students who openly supported Hamas or other U.S.-designated terrorist organizations, or who participated in unauthorized campus protests. According to immigration experts, this shift departs from the administration’s earlier focus on individuals with criminal records.

“This is no longer just about security threats or criminal activity,” said Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute. “Targeting student activists is a concerning shift.”

Several students have already been deported or are being held in detention facilities. Among them is Alireza Doroudi, an Iranian doctoral student at the University of Alabama, who was arrested near his home by ICE agents. The university confirmed the arrest but provided no further details.

Another case involves Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish national and doctoral student at Tufts University. Ozturk, who held a valid student visa, was detained on the street by ICE agents and is currently being held at a Louisiana detention center. She had previously co-authored an opinion piece criticizing her university’s response to pro-Palestinian protests, but the article made no mention of Hamas or other terrorist groups.

Immigration and civil rights advocates have voiced alarm over the detentions, arguing that the policy undermines free speech rights. Ben Wizner, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, condemned the deportations.

“There’s something uniquely disturbing about sending a message to the best and brightest around the world, who traditionally have flocked to U.S. universities for their openness and intellectual freedom, only to now say, ‘We don’t want you here,’” Wizner said.

The State Department has justified some student deportations under a Cold War-era immigration provision, which grants the secretary of state the authority to revoke visas if a student’s activities are deemed to pose “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.”

Far-right groups have reportedly compiled lists of students and professionals—both noncitizens and U.S. citizens—accused of promoting anti-Israel or anti-American sentiments. These lists, containing names and identifying details, have allegedly been shared with the Trump administration as part of deportation recommendations.

One student reportedly targeted is Momodou Taal, a Ph.D. student and U.S. visa holder, who participated in pro-Palestinian protests at Cornell University. Taal has been asked to surrender to ICE.

The visa revocations are part of a broader immigration enforcement strategy by the Trump administration, which includes deportations of individuals with alleged gang ties and suspected security threats. According to the Department of Homeland Security, over 400,000 noncitizens with criminal convictions are currently in the U.S.

However, the targeting of student activists raises concerns over the erosion of free speech and the politicization of immigration policy, experts warn.