State official defends canceling visas of pro-Palestinian academics

Politico

a day ago

Another former Columbia student, Mohsen Mahdawi, was 'involved in leadership of disruptive protests at Columbia University that included antisemitic conduct and calling for the destruction of Israel,' Armstrong said. He said Rubio also determined that 'Mr. Mahdawi's activities undermined the peace process in the Middle East including coming to a peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.'
Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk had her visa revoked as a result of 'her antisemitic activities in the U.S.' and for 'creating a hostile environment for Jewish students and indicating support for a designated terrorist organization,' Armstrong said, adding, 'I believe it was Hamas. It might have been Hezbollah.'
Armstrong said Ozturk's visa was designated for 'silent revocation,' meaning it was canceled without notice to her, likely to avoid tipping her off that Homeland Security was seeking to detain her.
All the academics Armstrong mentioned have denied fostering antisemitism and advocating for Hamas. Federal judges have either ordered their release or blocked their detention, citing indications that their arrests may have violated their First Amendment rights.
While Rubio spoke earlier this year about revoking about 300 visas, Armstrong said the number of 'student protester' visas he was involved in canceling was much smaller, in the range of 15 to 20.
The lawsuit before Young, a Reagan appointee, was filed in March by the American Association of University Professors and the Middle East Studies Association. It claims that the 'ideological deportation' policy runs afoul of the First Amendment rights of the academics targeted for expulsion from the U.S. It also alleges that the policy is chilling the speech and travel of other academics in the U.S. who are not American citizens and is curtailing the ability of American students and faculty to hear the views of the foreign academics.
As the trial entered its fifth day Friday, jockeying continued over Young's handling of records DOJ provided to the judge to review privately. DOJ lawyers say the records, which outline the administration's research on targets of potential deportation efforts, are legally privileged as sensitive law enforcement information and internal government deliberations.
But Young indicated earlier this week that he believes the government waived those privileges by sending him the documents to examine. The Justice Department filed an unusual appeal Thursday to prevent Young from disclosing any more of the documents to lawyers for the academic groups suing.
A panel of the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay Friday blocking the judge from giving the plaintiffs any additional government documents until the privilege claim is hashed out.
Young read the order aloud in court Friday soon after it was issued.
'I've got to reflect on what it reaches,' the judge said, shortly before ending the trial for the day.
The trial is scheduled to continue through next week.