The Trump Administration claims that international college students who participate in pro-Palestinian protests pose a threat to the United States and has been planning to deport them as a punishment for their so-called crimes according to BBC.
To be honest, this is depressing and hurtful to students with no criminal record. They shouldn’t be punished if they didn’t do anything. Yes, students have held protests in the past for worldwide issues, but that doesn’t mean they need to be arrested. Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t that mean Immigration and Customs Enforcement is violating freedom of speech?
One college student involved in a protest, Mohsen Madawi, was arrested by ICE, according to CNN. He used to be an organizer for pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University but stepped back in March 2024. I don’t see what the problem is here if he has no criminal record.
A postdoctoral student from Georgetown University, Badar Khan Suri, was also taken away by federal agents, according to BBC. He was accused of promoting antisemitism on social media by the Department of Homeland Security, and was linked to a known or suspected terrorist, who happened to be his father-in-law. His father-in-law was a former advisor to killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
While it hasn’t been said whether college students have been deported or not, they are still detained; some are awaiting deportation or a trial. These are anxiety-inducing actions. I’m glad this hasn’t happened at the University of Rhode Island, as there are many international students here. While I don’t want to worry anyone, this is an issue that needs to be talked about.
Another cause for deportation is revoking visas or green cards, according to CNN. Usually, this happens when someone provides false information or violates laws when obtaining a visa. However, the Trump Administration revokes visas or green cards when they feel threatened or find someone and deport them without fact-checking.
These international students just want to learn and live the American dream. Why can’t the administration understand that? Oh wait, it’s because they don’t care. In an unlikely case, how long until it happens to me or my family? My mother and grandparents are immigrants but have been legal U.S. citizens since moving from Canada. None of us have a criminal record or provided false information, so I think we’re safe.
What I’d like to know is how ICE finds these students. Do they have a list of people who look skeptical, and deportation is the only way to fix each situation? Sure, there are some individuals who’ve committed crimes, but is deportation necessary? I don’t think so.
Up until Donald Trump took office, crimes committed by students were taken care of by school officers, according to CNN. Now, ICE is all over the U.S. arresting and deporting students without real reason. Does ICE have something against college students? I don’t have the credentials to answer that. I’m just a journalism major reporting on important issues that affect us all.
I hope the next president can undo all of the damage Trump and ICE have caused. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait four years for that to change.
