U.S. Secretary of State Announces Revocation of Visas and Residency for Hamas Supporters in the U.S.

Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, announced on Sunday the cancellation of visas and permanent residency for supporters of the extremist group Hamas to expel them from U.S. soil. Mr. Rubio made these remarks following news of the arrest of a Palestinian student at Columbia University by U.S. immigration officials. Mahmoud Khalil, a student at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, was arrested on Saturday by agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in his university dormitory. The arrest of this student appears to be one of the first actions taken by Donald Trump, the U.S. President, in response to his promise to pursue and expel some foreign students linked to anti-Israel protests at U.S. universities. The U.S. and the European Union consider Hamas a terrorist organization. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared a report on Khalil's arrest on social media, stating, 'We will revoke the visas or green cards of Hamas supporters in the U.S. so that they can be expelled.' He did not provide further details, and his spokespeople did not respond to inquiries. The Department of Homeland Security announced on social media that Khalil was arrested for 'leading activities aligned with Hamas,' but did not provide further explanation. Spokespeople for the department also did not respond to questions from Reuters. U.S. laws prohibit providing 'material support or resources' to groups designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government, including Hamas. This law does not provide a clear definition of 'aligned activities' with these groups, and it is unclear whether Mahmoud Khalil is accused of providing material support to Hamas or committing another crime. The Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023 and the subsequent Israeli assault on Gaza with U.S. support led to months of pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests at universities in the U.S. and other countries. Last year, some protesters set up camps on the Columbia University campus and took control of one of the educational buildings for several hours. Some Israeli and Jewish students have stated that these protests have been threatening and disruptive, and they have also held pro-Israel protests. Donald Trump has described the pro-Palestinian protests as anti-Semitic. Meanwhile, the New York Civil Liberties Union has described Khalil's arrest as 'illegal, retaliatory, and an assault on the right to free speech.' Trump has targeted Columbia University for its handling of these student protesters and has quickly increased pressure on the university: Khalil's arrest occurred one day after the Trump administration announced the cancellation of contracts and federal funding worth approximately $400 million that had been awarded to Columbia University. The U.S. government stated that this budget cut and the effort to expel some students, which faces legal challenges, were initiated due to anti-Semitic harassment 'inside and around' the Columbia University campus in Manhattan.