President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday aimed at combating antisemitism, vowing to deport non-citizen college students and others who participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
"To all resident aliens involved in pro-jihadist protests, consider this a warning: in 2025, we will find you and deport you," Trump stated in a fact sheet.
He also reiterated a 2024 campaign pledge, saying, "I will swiftly revoke the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have become hotbeds of radicalism like never before."
Rights groups and legal experts argued that the measure would violate constitutional free speech protections and would likely face legal challenges.
"The First Amendment protects everyone in the United States, including foreign students at American universities," said Carrie DeCell, senior staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. "Deporting non-citizens for their political speech would be unconstitutional."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a major Muslim advocacy organization, stated it would consider taking legal action if Trump attempted to enforce the order.
