After Columbia Arrests, International Students Fear Deportation and Stay Silent
A wave of fear has swept across U.S. college campuses as international students respond to the recent arrests at Columbia University. The growing pressure from the Trump administration has left many foreign students and faculty questioning their safety and speech rights in the United States.
Immigration Arrests Shake Columbia University
Two international individuals—one a current student—were arrested by federal immigration agents for participating in last year’s pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia. A third student had their visa revoked and left the U.S. voluntarily earlier this week. Homeland Security agents also searched on-campus housing for two other students, though no arrests were made during those searches.
The administration has signaled this is just the beginning. GOP officials say more visa revocations are expected soon as part of a broader effort to punish anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campuses.
Columbia Journalism School Warns of a ‘Chill’
The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism reported “an alarming chill” among foreign students. In a faculty-signed statement, the school said many international students are afraid to attend classes or events.
“They are right to be worried,” the statement read.
Fear of Speaking Out Spreads Nationwide
That anxiety isn’t limited to New York. Across the country, foreign students and faculty say they’re avoiding public speech and online commentary to protect their immigration status.
“Green-card-holding faculty members involved in any kind of advocacy that might be construed as not welcome by the Trump administration are absolutely terrified,” said Veena Dubal, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine. She’s also general counsel for the American Association of University Professors.
Dubal said many international scholars are backing away from research, publishing, and open discussion. “We are literally not hearing their voices. There is a silencing happening that has a huge impact on the vibrancy of higher education,” she said.
First Arrest: Mahmoud Khalil
The first arrest came last Saturday when Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student and prominent activist, was taken into custody near the Columbia campus. He is now being held in federal detention in Louisiana.
Khalil, a legal U.S. resident with a green card, has become a symbol of the administration’s effort to crack down on what it calls antisemitic and anti-American protests. Civil rights groups argue Khalil’s arrest is a direct threat to free speech.
“This administration is sending a clear message,” said Brian Hauss of the ACLU. “If they can do this to Mr. Khalil over his speech about Palestine, they can do it to any non-U.S. citizen who takes a position on controversial global issues.”
Students and Faculty Self-Censoring Online
A Bangladeshi student at Louisiana State University said she’s stopped posting anything political on social media since Khalil’s arrest. She requested anonymity out of fear of immigration consequences.
“I feel like it’s not safe for me to share those things anymore,” she said. “What I fear is a similar situation in the United States as in Bangladesh, where people can be arrested over social media.”
Colleges Advise Students to Stay Cautious
Several universities have started offering formal guidance. Columbia Journalism School Dean Jelani Cobb warned students, “Nobody can protect you, these are dangerous times,” in a Bluesky post. He added that while he would defend students’ rights, DHS actions were beyond his control.
At UC Davis, the Global Affairs Program updated its website to advise international students about First Amendment rights and potential immigration consequences of arrests. “Each person should take appropriate care and utilize their best judgment,” the guidance reads.
More Arrests and Visa Revocations Follow
Federal actions have ramped up in recent days. Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian from the West Bank, was arrested for allegedly overstaying her student visa. Homeland Security said her visa was terminated in 2022 due to “lack of attendance” and noted her arrest in a 2024 Columbia protest.
Another student, Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian citizen and Columbia doctoral student, had her visa revoked for allegedly “advocating for violence and terrorism.” She chose to leave the U.S. on her own earlier this week.
President Trump said Khalil’s arrest was only the beginning. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Friday that more student visa cancellations are expected in the coming days.
