Federal agents arrested a Palestinian student, Leqaa Kordia, from the West Bank, for overstaying her student visa after participating in protests at Columbia University. This follows the self-deportation of Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian student accused of supporting Hamas, whose visa was revoked. The arrests have left international students fearful of being targeted amid a tense climate on campus and recent search warrants executed in student residences have heightened anxiety. American students are showing solidarity with their international counterparts. Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate student, was recently arrested by ICE as part of an effort to deport him for alleged ties to Hamas. The arrest has sparked outrage on campus, with student leaders expressing fear of retaliation and limitations on their ability to seek support. The school has suspended or expelled some students who participated in protests and revoked diplomas. The arrests and crackdown on international students involved in pro-Palestinian protests have sparked discussions among faculty on how to defend the university’s independence and core values against the Trump administration’s pressure. Many students, especially international students, feel that their free speech rights are being curtailed due to fear of repercussions on their student visas. Overall, the campus is tense and anxious, with students and faculty grappling with the implications of recent arrests and enforcement actions related to protests and activism.
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