Donald Trump to cancel student visas of 'Hamas sympathisers' at pro-Palestinian rallies

A White House official stated that Donald Trump has pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others involved in pro-Palestinian protests, as part of an effort to combat antisemitism. President Trump stated that university campuses have been "infected with radicalism" and warned against "Hamas sympathizers" participating in marches. He plans to sign an executive order on Wednesday local time.

A fact sheet for the order promises that the Department of Justice will "take immediate action" to prosecute "terrorist threats, arson, vandalism and violence against Jewish Americans," and will marshal all federal resources to combat the antisemitism that has "erupted on our campuses and streets" since the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. The fact sheet quotes the US President saying: "To all the resident foreigners who are participating in pro-jihad protests, we are putting you on notice: By 2025, we will find you and we will deport you."

"I will also swiftly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses that have been overrun by unprecedented radicalism." The Hamas attack and subsequent Israeli assault on Gaza have led to months of pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses, while civil rights groups have recorded an increase in antisemitic, anti-Arab and Islamophobic incidents. The order will require agency and department heads to submit recommendations to the White House within 60 days on all criminal and civil powers available to combat antisemitism, and calls for the "removal of resident foreigners who violate our laws."

The fact sheet states that protesters have engaged in pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation, blocked Jewish students from attending classes, attacked worshippers at synagogues, and vandalized US monuments and statues. Many pro-Palestinian protesters deny supporting Hamas or engaging in antisemitic acts, and say they are protesting Israel's military assault on Gaza, which health authorities say has killed more than 47,000 people. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a large Muslim advocacy group, accused the Trump administration of using "combating antisemitism as a pretext to attack 'free speech and Palestinian humanity'," and called Wednesday's order "dishonest, overly broad and unenforceable."

During the 2024 campaign, Mr. Trump pledged to deport what he called "pro-Hamas" American students holding visas. On his first day in office, he signed an executive order that human rights groups say laid the groundwork for reinstating a ban on travelers from predominantly Muslim or Arab countries, and provided broader powers to use ideological exclusion to deny visa applications and deport people already in the country.