Trump Administration Moves to Address Pro-Hamas Protests: Student Visa Revoked, Federal Funding Pulled from Columbia University
Key Points:
- The Trump administration revoked the visa of a foreign student involved in Hamas-related protests, marking the first such action.
- President Trump announced the withdrawal of 400 million dollars in federal funding from Columbia University due to its handling of anti-Israel protests.
- Ben Bergquam and Kasondra Watkins live coverage from Columbia, last year at Passover 2024, highlighted the ongoing unrest and the role of university leadership in allowing such protests to escalate.
- Columbia University faces criticism for its failure to adequately address the pro-Hamas demonstrations, with federal officials promising increased oversight moving forward.
FLASHBACK TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2024:
In a decisive move, the Trump administration has revoked the visa of a foreign student linked to pro-Hamas protests, signaling a new, tougher stance on anti-Israel demonstrations on U.S. college campuses. This action follows President Trump’s announcement that his administration will pull federal funding from universities like Columbia University, where protests in support of Hamas have escalated.
The State Department confirmed the visa revocation of the student, citing their involvement in Hamas-supporting disruptions at a U.S. university. Although the department did not disclose the university or student’s identity, this revocation marks the first such action since the administration began reviewing student visas for ties to terrorism. “Yesterday evening, we revoked the first visa of an individual previously cited for criminal behavior related to Hamas disruptions,” the State Department stated. The student will be deported, and ICE is handling the removal process.
This development aligns with President Trump’s stance on foreign students supporting terrorism, specifically his repeated calls to expel such individuals from the U.S. “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you,” Trump said, underscoring his administration’s commitment to rooting out terrorism-related activities from American college campuses. He further pledged to cancel student visas for anyone linked to groups like Hamas, which he described as part of a larger, radical movement infiltrating universities across the nation.
Trump’s remarks also included a direct response to Columbia University, one of the epicenters of anti-Israel protests. “We are canceling 400 million dollars in grants and contracts for Columbia University,” Trump announced. “This university has been a breeding ground for radicalism, and we will no longer fund institutions that allow these terrorist sympathizers to flourish.” The president’s decision to pull funding came after persistent protests on the university’s campus, many of which have featured pro-Hamas chants and violent clashes with law enforcement.
Ben Bergquam, a reporter with Real America’s Voice, was live on the ground at Columbia University in 2024 to document the protests. In his live footage, Bergquam and fellow journalist Kosandra Watkins captured the chaos surrounding the campus protests at the time. “It’s crazy, it’s crazy,” Bergquam remarked. “This is what our universities have become. It’s a global battle of good versus evil on full display here.”
Bergquam noted that the campus protests were not only driven by students but also fueled by faculty members who have been accused of enabling these disruptive demonstrations. “It’s not just the students. The woke faculty is also out here, supporting this radical agenda. This university has capitulated to the leftist, freedom-hating movement that’s sweeping across America,” he stated.
The live footage from Bergquam underscored the gravity of the situation. As protests raged outside, university leadership struggled to contain the unrest. The president of Columbia University had already called for the arrest of several protesters earlier in the day, yet the disruptions continued, sparking national outrage. “The purpose of all of this is attention,” Bergquam continued. “They don’t want us recording this. They hate the light because it exposes the darkness.”
Columbia University has faced sharp criticism for its handling of the situation. Federal officials, including Education Secretary Linda McMahon, slammed the institution for what they described as an unwillingness to take action against the pro-Hamas protests. McMahon stated, “Columbia has abandoned its obligation to protect Jewish students, and today, we are taking steps to ensure universities know this will no longer be tolerated.”
In response, Columbia issued a statement affirming its commitment to combatting antisemitism. The university expressed regret over the federal actions but vowed to cooperate with the government to restore its federal funding. Despite this, the university’s administration remains under intense scrutiny, with critics accusing it of enabling radical ideologies that foster hatred and division.
As protests continue to surge on college campuses nationwide, the Trump administration’s actions highlight a shift in U.S. policy toward addressing radical influences on university grounds. The combination of visa revocations, cuts to federal funding, and increased scrutiny of institutions like Columbia University marks a new chapter in the ongoing battle over free speech, national security, and the role of higher education in fostering ideologies that support terrorism.