The U.S. State Department has rescinded the visa of a university student who took part in pro-Hamas demonstrations, aligning with former President Donald Trump’s call to revoke visas for students involved in anti-Israel protests on college campuses.
A State Department representative confirmed the decision to Fox News but did not disclose the student’s identity or institution, citing “legal constraints.”
“Last night, we revoked the first visa of a foreign national previously cited for criminal activity linked to disruptions in support of Hamas,” the department stated. “This individual was a university student. ICE will now proceed with deportation.”
Under the Biden administration, despite numerous campus protests and disruptions related to Israel, no student visas were revoked following a review of over 100,000 cases.
Trump has consistently advocated for expelling foreign students in the U.S. who express support for Hamas or other terrorist organizations. Upon assuming office in January, he signed an executive order targeting antisemitism.
Addressing non-citizens involved in these protests, Trump warned: “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist demonstrations, consider this your notice: come 2025, we will find you and deport you.” A White House fact sheet also quoted him saying, “I will swiftly revoke the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have become breeding grounds for radicalism like never before.”
Universities across the U.S. have witnessed a surge in anti-Israel protests, some of which have escalated into vandalism, threats against Jewish students, and violent confrontations with law enforcement.
“The Biden administration ignored this orchestrated attack on public order and failed to uphold the civil rights of Jewish Americans, particularly students,” the White House fact sheet asserted. A December 2024 report from the U.S. House of Representatives described the federal government’s response to antisemitism as “astounding in its failure.”
Additionally, Axios reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is launching an AI-driven initiative known as “Catch and Revoke” to identify and cancel the visas of foreign students linked to designated terrorist groups.
“Individuals who support designated terrorist organizations, including Hamas, pose a threat to national security,” Rubio posted on X. “The United States has zero tolerance for foreign visitors who back terrorists. Those who violate U.S. law—students included—face visa revocation and deportation.”
Good send them back to their countries