In a stark warning to foreign students who support terrorist organizations, the US State Department has revoked its first visa for a student involved in pro-Hamas campus activities as the Trump administration begins enforcing its promised crackdown on anti-Israel protests.
At a Glance
- The State Department has revoked the visa of a foreign student connected to “Hamas-supporting disruptions” on a college campus
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remove the individual from the United States
- The student’s identity and university affiliation remain undisclosed due to legal constraints
- The Trump administration plans to use AI technology to identify and deport foreign nationals sympathetic to Hamas
- President Trump has threatened to withdraw federal funding from universities that allow “illegal protests”
First Visa Revocation Under New Policy
The State Department announced it has revoked the visa of a foreign national student connected to campus activities supporting Hamas, marking the first such action under the Trump administration’s intensified approach to campus anti-Israel protests. The announcement represents a significant policy shift after the previous administration’s more passive stance despite widespread campus unrest surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“We revoked the first visa of an alien who was previously cited for criminal behavior in connection with Hamas-supporting disruptions. This individual was a university student. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will proceed with removing this person from the country,” a State Department spokesperson said.
Federal authorities have not disclosed the student’s name, nationality, or college affiliation, citing privacy laws and ongoing security operations. The revocation follows months of escalating tensions on American campuses where pro-Palestinian demonstrations have increasingly drawn scrutiny for alleged antisemitism and support for organizations classified as terrorist groups by the United States.
New “Catch and Revoke” Initiative
According to multiple sources, the State Department has launched a comprehensive initiative dubbed “Catch and Revoke” to identify foreign nationals expressing support for Hamas. The program reportedly utilizes artificial intelligence to monitor social media accounts of international students and visitors for content deemed sympathetic to terrorist organizations or promoting antisemitism on American soil.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced the administration’s position with a firm statement: “Those who support designated terrorist organizations, including Hamas, threaten our national security. The United States has zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support terrorists. Violators of US law — including international students — face visa denial or revocation, and deportation.”
The aggressive stance follows President Trump’s campaign pledge to address what many conservatives view as unchecked antisemitism on college campuses. Under the current administration, over 100,000 student visas have reportedly been reviewed, with this marking the first official revocation related to Hamas support.
Financial Consequences for Universities
Beyond individual visa actions, the administration is advancing plans to impose financial penalties on universities deemed insufficiently responsive to anti-Israel activities. Officials have indicated that Columbia University may lose over $50 million in government contracts due to what the administration characterizes as inadequate action against campus demonstrations that allegedly crossed into antisemitism and disruption of academic operations.
FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) has released a statement in response to President Trump’s expected executive order, which threatens action against international students in the U.S. for supporting Palestinian rights on campus. The statement argues that… https://t.co/uz7Pb4ZEq6
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) January 30, 2025
The administration’s approach reflects President Trump’s explicit warnings during his campaign. “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before,” Trump said.
Civil Liberties Concerns
The new policies have raised concerns among civil liberties advocates who question whether the use of AI to monitor social media expressions could infringe upon First Amendment protections. Critics argue that the complex nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict makes it potentially problematic to use automated systems to make determinations about political speech that could result in deportation.
However, administration officials maintain that expressing support for designated terrorist organizations falls outside protected speech considerations for non-citizens seeking to maintain visa privileges. The State Department has emphasized that the focus remains narrowly on individuals who demonstrate tangible support for organizations like Hamas rather than those simply expressing views critical of Israeli policies.
