US may bar foreign students from colleges linked to pro-Palestinian protests

Trump administration is considering measures to prohibit some colleges from enrolling any foreign students if they are deemed «pro-Hamas,» according to senior officials from the Justice and State Departments. The move, which could involve grand jury subpoenas, marks a further expansion of the administration’s immigration policies and efforts to counter antisemitism, though civil rights groups argue it suppresses free speech.

Policy background
The proposal stems from the «Catch and Revoke» program, an initiative led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Initially targeting foreign students allegedly involved in pro-Palestinian protests, the program has resulted in over 300 student visa cancellations in three weeks. Officials state that the government is scrutinizing universities with a significant number of foreign students engaging in demonstrations, which could lead to decertification from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

A senior State Department official told Axios, «Every institution that has foreign students will go through some sort of review.» Schools previously at risk of decertification were primarily linked to visa fraud. Now, the government is considering applying similar measures to institutions with large-scale demonstrations following the October 7 attacks.


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Columbia University and UCLA are among the institutions frequently discussed in administrative circles. A UCLA spokesperson stated, «UCLA is committed to eradicating hate,»