The recent arrests of international students at Columbia University by Immigration and Customs Enforcement following pro-Palestinian protests have raised concerns amoung student activists and university administrators nationwide.
As federal agencies take a tougher stance on campus activism, student leaders at other institutions fear similar repercussions.
At the University of Rhode Island, student senate Vice President Sanah Feroz said the arrests at Columbia have intensified worry for students, particularly those from international backgrounds.
“It is a concern because we have travel bans,” Feroz said. A lot of the activists on campus come from international backgrounds. When we see so much happening so close, it really does change whether we want to speak up or not and have our names attached to this cause.”
At URI, Feroz and other activists worry about how such policies may impact student engagement in political discourse. She cited the case of a Brown University doctor, from Lebanon, who was denied reentry into the U.S. with her valid visa, after visiting Lebanon earlier this March.
“I think when people see things like that, it hits close to home – just in the state of Rhode Island, that makes it challenging,” Feroz said.
The arrests at Columbia University are part of a broader response to campus activism. Earlier this March, President Donald Trump reiterated his administration’s stance against student protestors, warning that foreign students involved in demonstrations deemed unlawful could face deportation or visa revocation, according to NPR.
Trump posted on Truth Social that he would cut federal funding for universities that allow “illegal protests” and stated that foreign students involved could face deportation.
The detentions at Columbia come amid heightened tensions over U.S. policies in the Middle East and growing campus activism surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to the Washington Examiner. ICE has not commented on the specific cases but confirmed that it is watching over individuals with visa regulations for noncitizens studying in the U.S..
Despite the national developments, Feroz said she does not believe international students at URI are at immediate risk of deportation.
“Compared to Columbia’s administration, we have a different perspective shared in academic settings,” Feroz said. “At URI, students and staff are very open about having conversations like these.”
Civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have spoken against, what they describe, as federal overreach into campus activism. The ACLU has urged universities to protect their students rights and resist government pressure to penalize international students according to the ACLU website.
In an open letter to college and university presidents, the ACLU reaffirmed its commitment to defending free speech on campuses, stating: “The ACLU helped establish the right to protest as a central pillar of the First Amendment. We have defended those principles for more than a century. The First Amendment compels public universities and colleges to respect free speech rights.”
While federal agencies defend their actions as part of visa enforcement, student activists argue that such crackdowns create a chilling effect, discouraging participation in campus movements, according to AP News.
At URI, Feroz said activism remains a challenge, not just because of federal policies but also due to a lack of student engagement.
“A lot of students really don’t have insight into what is happening and are simply uninterested,” Feroz said. “When we notice that it’s not really having much of an impact on advocating for students, it demotivates us.”
URI’s mission, stated on the university website, emphasizes creating an inclusive and equitable community that respects the rights and dignity of all individuals. URI upholds the freedom to learn, teach and conduct research with integrity, aiming to contribute positively to the public good.
