Trump Threatens to Deport Foreign Students Over ‘Illegal’ Protests, Cut University Funds
Crackdown on Campus Activism Sparks Free Speech Concerns Amid Gaza War Protests
- Trump vows to halt federal funding for universities allowing “illegal” protests
- Foreign students involved in protests face prosecution and deportation
- Critics argue the move threatens First Amendment rights and academic freedom
US President Donald Trump has pledged to strip federal funding from universities that allow what he calls “illegal” protests and to prosecute and deport foreign students who participate in such demonstrations.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared that “all federal funding will STOP” for institutions that fail to crack down on unauthorized protests.
His remarks follow a wave of student demonstrations against Israel’s war in Gaza, which swept through major US campuses, including Columbia University and UCLA.
Trump did not specify what constitutes an “illegal” protest, though the First Amendment protects the right to free speech and assembly.
His statement has drawn swift criticism from free speech advocates, who argue that the federal government does not have unilateral power to cut funding over student activism.
In a separate move, the Biden administration announced a review of Columbia University’s federal contracts amid concerns over discrimination policies, with potential funding cuts exceeding $5 billion.
The controversy comes as student protests continue to spark nationwide debate over free expression, campus safety, and political influence in higher education.
