"The Trump administration is requiring that foreign students studying in, or seeking to study in the United States, pass an ideological test in order to obtain a visa, according to a “sensitive” State Department directive issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and which I obtained.

The crackdown, instituted on Tuesday, makes it “mandatory” for consular officers and State Department personnel to conduct a “social media review” — including screenshotting posts — of new and returning student visa applicants for any evidence of terrorist connections. Such connections are defined broadly to include “advocating for, sympathizing with, or persuading others to endorse or espouse terrorist activities or support” a terrorist organization. Though the document doesn’t explicitly define what counts as advocacy, it mentions “conduct that bears a hostile attitude toward U.S. citizens or U.S. culture (including government, institutions, or founding principles).”

Specific reference is made to students seeking to participate “in pro-Hamas events,” which is how the Trump administration has characterized student protests against the war in Gaza."

https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/exclusive-trump-admin-spies-on-social

#USA #Trump #SocialMedia #Surveillance #PoliceState Activism #StudentActivism

"Trump supporters have a remarkable ability to coalesce around whatever explanation they are told to repeat, so the arguments defending the detention are likely to orient around this justification. The idea that Khalil’s views might have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the United States is an obvious pretext for expelling him—and a message to others who might hold or express similar beliefs. Trumpists simply do not approve of his politics and have therefore resorted to using the power of the state to deport him. Trump has styled himself a champion of free speech, but this is what Trumpists mean by “free speech”: You can say what Trumpists want you to say or you can be punished.

Trump has announced as much, declaring that the administration would not tolerate “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity.” That is an admission that Khalil’s arrest is not about consequences for American foreign policy but about punishing speech
(...)
Due process is a cornerstone of democracy and the rule of law. Without it, anyone can be arbitrarily deprived of life or liberty. Leaders who aspire to absolute power always begin by demonizing groups that lack the political power to resist, and that might be awkward for the political opposition to defend. They say someone is a criminal, and they dare you to defend the rights of criminals. They say someone is a deviant, and they dare you to defend the rights of deviants. They call someone a terrorist, and they dare you to defend the rights of terrorists. And if you believe none of these apply to you, another category might be “traitor,” the label that Trump and his advisers, including the far-right billionaire Elon Musk, like to give to anyone who opposes them."

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/03/mahmoud-khalil-ice-detention/682001/

"The Trump administration’s outrageous attempt to punish a protester for protesting should be met with universal condemnation by everyone who wishes to live in a free society. If you don’t want them to be able to do it to you, you shouldn’t let them get away with doing it to Mahmoud Khalil. Some politicians have spoken out against the administration’s actions. Others like New York City Mayor Eric Adams (and would-be mayor Andrew Cuomo) have been deafeningly silent. The Anti-Defamation League, which should be highly sensitive to creeping abuses of state power, actually endorsed the deportation effort, saying that they “appreciate the Trump Administration’s broad, bold set of efforts to counter campus antisemitism — and this action further illustrates that resolve by holding alleged perpetrators responsible for their actions.” But there is no evidence that Khalil has engaged in any antisemitism, nor is it clear what he’s the “alleged perpetrator” of. Fortunately, many other, more genuine civil rights and civil liberties organizations have immediately condemned the action."

https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-most-dictatorial-action-so-far

Mahmoud Khalil's detention by ICE isn't just an isolated incident; it's a stark warning to all student activists. When lawful protest leads to arrest, our fundamental rights are under siege. We must rally together to defend free speech and ensure that activism remains a protected act, not a punishable offense. #FreeMahmoudKhalil

https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-6964107d218dba43eb995d6dbbe528b1

#Activism #Gaza #FreeSpeech #StudentActivism #JusticeForMahmoud
#EndICEDetention #HumanRights #ProtestForFreedom
#FreePalestine

"Secretary of State Marco Rubio also got in on the act, tweeting that the administration “will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”

Supporters? By declining to allege any kind of material support to Hamas, Rubio is saying that any speech the government considers “support” is enough to get you a visit from ICE.

I’m not a lawyer, but the law seems pretty clear that a green card holder can only be deported if they violate rules relating to their status, conduct a serious crime, or commit espionage, terrorist, or pose a “threat” to “national security.” That’s a huge and vague category, national security. An accusation of being anti-American and posing a threat to national security can be levied against even citizens who are exercising their first Amendment rights. That’s what could be next."

https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/trump-is-coming-after-legal-residents

This is the relationship between Muslims and Jews in Vanderbilt's Palestinian solidarity movement: standing side-by-side, arm-in-arm engaging in joint organizing against occupation apartheid, and genocide.

Texas Is the First State to Ban Student Interaction With Elected Officials | Students have historically led social justice efforts that wouldn’t be possible without contact with elected official

https://truthout.org/articles/__texas-is-the-first-state-to-ban-student-interaction-with-elected-officials/