They Thought They Could Stay Forever… But Now It’s Over!

Foreign students backing Hamas may soon find themselves packing their bags, as the State Department rolls out a new visa crackdown aimed at those supporting terrorist organizations. The initiative, called “Catch and Revoke,” is a decisive step toward reinforcing national security and ensuring that the privilege of studying in the United States is not extended to individuals with dangerous sympathies.

The program, powered by artificial intelligence, will scan social media accounts of foreign students registered in the Student Exchange Visitor System. The goal? To identify and remove those who have publicly supported Hamas, particularly after the deadly October 7, 2023, attack in Israel that claimed 1,200 innocent lives.

“Yesterday evening, we revoked the first visa of an alien who was previously cited for criminal behavior in connection with Hamas-supporting disruptions,” a State Department official revealed. “This individual was a university student. ICE will proceed with removing this person from the country.”

For years, critics have pointed out the lax enforcement of visa rules. The Biden administration, for instance, reviewed more than 100,000 student visas but failed to revoke a single one. Now, with this new initiative, the government is sending a clear message: the U.S. is not obligated to host foreign nationals who engage in activism for terrorist groups.

The reasoning behind this move is simple. The U.S. has no obligation to grant residency to anyone, let alone those who sympathize with designated terrorist organizations. Since 1997, Hamas has been officially labeled as a terrorist group by the U.S. government—a classification shared by other nations, including Canada and New Zealand. Publicly advocating for such an entity, particularly in the wake of a massacre, is a red flag that cannot be ignored.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a long-time proponent of tougher immigration policies, voiced his support for the move. On October 14, 2023, he addressed the surge of pro-Hamas demonstrations, stating, “America is the most generous nation on earth, but we cannot allow foreign nationals who support terrorist groups like Hamas and march in our streets calling for ‘intifada’ to enter or stay in our country.” Now, as the head of the State Department, he has the power to follow through on that stance.

Naturally, the move has sparked outrage from the Left, with critics warning of potential free speech violations. Abed Ayoub, leader of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, condemned the policy, saying, “This should concern all Americans. This is a First Amendment and freedom of speech issue and the administration will overplay its hand. Americans won’t like this. They’ll view this as capitulating free speech rights for a foreign nation.”

But this argument falls flat with most Americans. A YouGov poll from May 2024 showed that only 28% of the public supports pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses. The real concern for most citizens is ensuring the safety of Jewish students, not protecting the speech rights of foreign nationals.

This policy shift signals that visa holders who engage in extremist rhetoric will no longer be given a free pass. The State Department’s next move should be a close examination of pro-intifada demonstrations outside university Hillel centers—such as the mob scene at Ohio State University. If any of those agitators are here on student visas, it’s time they get sent home.

This is a long-overdue correction to an immigration system that has prioritized political correctness over national security. The message is clear: foreign nationals who wish to study in America must uphold its values—not undermine them.