A sweeping federal crackdown on international students has intensified, with the U.S. government canceling the visas of approximately 1,000 current and recent foreign graduates from American universities. Among them is Palestinian student Mahmoud Khalil, a legal U.S. resident and Columbia University graduate, whose potential deportation now looms following a controversial federal immigration court ruling in Louisiana.

The developments mark a significant victory for the Trump administration, which has reasserted and expanded immigration enforcement against international students, many of whom had participated in pro-Palestinian activities across U.S. campuses in the past year.

Although some students were allegedly penalized for participating in peaceful protests against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, others have had their legal status revoked over minor or vague infractions, according to a federal lawsuit filed last week in Michigan by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of four students from the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. The students, hailing from China, India and Nepal, claim their visas were terminated without explanation or due process.

According to media reports, more than 170 universities and colleges across the country have reported visa revocations in recent weeks. More than 950 international students and recent graduates have had their immigration status canceled by the U.S. State Department, including dozens enrolled at seven educational institutions in Michigan.

Universities said that students were often not notified in advance and many only learned of the cancellations of their legal status through a federal database or unexpected messages. Attorneys say most students were never granted a chance to appeal or even understand the rationale behind the government’s actions against them.

Chilling free speech

Civil liberties organizations have linked the crackdown to student activism around Palestine, warning of a growing threat to free speech and academic freedom in the U.S.

“This is a climate where fear is replacing debate,” the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) said. “Silencing dissent seems to be the real objective.”

Many of the affected students had voiced opposition to Israeli policies against Palestinians or participated in campus protests. The ACLU called the campaign “an unacceptable ideological test.”

“No president should have the power to decide who can stay in this country based on their political views,” the ACLU said.

In a statement, ACLU-Michigan said the sudden and unexplained cancellations represent “a deeply alarming escalation of government overreach.

“These students were given no reasons and no opportunity to defend themselves,” the ACLU added. “Their education and futures are now at serious risk.

“International students contribute immensely to the intellectual and economic fabric of our communities. The ACLU will pursue all legal avenues to protect their rights.”

Surveillance and retaliation

The Department of Homeland Security recently announced it is monitoring immigrants’ social media accounts to flag what it calls “anti-Semitic content”, which could impact their ability to obtain or retain student or immigration visas.

“We will not allow anyone to hide behind the First Amendment to promote hate or violence,” said Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. “You are not welcome here.”

In an incendiary statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed more than 300 student visas had been revoked due to activities deemed contrary to “national interests”, including publishing op-eds criticizing Israeli actions in Gaza or participating in campus sit-ins calling for divestment from Israel.

“It might be more than 300 at this point,” Rubio said at a news conference last month. “We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas.

“Student visas are for learning, not politics,” he added.

“If they don’t leave, we will find them, deport them and they’ll never be allowed to return,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.

Michigan lawsuit filed

In Michigan, four international students from the University of Michigan and Wayne State University filed a federal lawsuit challenging the revocation of their student visas and legal status. The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit, asks for an emergency injunction restoring their F-1 visa status and preventing ICE from arresting or deporting them.

According to the suit, the students were not accused of any crimes or protest activity. Their visas were allegedly canceled based on vague “record screening” without formal charges or violations. Attorneys argue the move violates their Fifth Amendment rights and federal administrative law, which require notice and a chance to respond.

The plaintiffs’ attorneys say the case seeks to block further arbitrary removals and ensure students have adequate time to address or rectify their immigration standing.

One attorney noted some students had only minor infractions, such as speeding tickets or traffic warnings.

“That’s no justification for a decision that could destroy their educational and professional futures,” the attorney said.

Mahmoud Khalil case takes critical turn

In a potentially precedent-setting case for free speech and immigrant rights, a federal immigration judge in Louisiana has issued a preliminary ruling allowing the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian-born legal U.S. resident and recent Columbia University graduate. Khalil remains detained in Louisiana.

Khalil became a national symbol for student activism after helping lead pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, where he is accused of causing campus disruptions. His lawyers argue he is being targeted solely for his political speech, in violation of his First Amendment rights.

Judge Jamie Commins ruled on April 11 that the government’s claim that Khalil poses a threat to U.S. foreign policy is “plausible on its face”, granting the legal team until April 23 to request a stay of deportation. However, the court also temporarily rejected government claims that Khalil had committed immigration fraud by omitting prior work with the UNRWA in Lebanon before arriving in the U.S. in 2022.

The case is now being transferred to Federal Judge Michael Farbiarz in New Jersey, who will decide Khalil’s fate.

“This is our worst fear come true,” Khalil’s attorney, Mark Van Der Hout, said in a statement. “Mahmoud has been denied due process, subjected to a legal charade, and had immigration law weaponized against him. But the fight is not over.”

His legal team plans to challenge the evidence and seek the dismissal of Secretary Rubio from the case.

According to a leaked memo from Rubio’s office, Khalil’s continued presence in the U.S. would allegedly undermine anti-anti-Semitism efforts and pose a risk to Jewish students. No criminal charges have been filed against Khalil, and his attorneys insist no evidence has been provided showing any threat to national security.

Khalil was arrested by ICE agents in his campus apartment last month, where he lived with his pregnant American wife. His student visa was immediately revoked and his green card status was subsequently canceled, according to his legal counsel.

Khalil, a Columbia University graduate, was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria. He is a citizen of Algeria and attained lawful permanent residency in the U.S. last year. His wife, Noor Abdullah, is an American citizen. This situation has drawn attention due to Khalil’s prominent role in pro-Palestinian protests at his university.

Khalil has called himself a political prisoner after his arrest on March 8 at his Columbia University student residence.

In a similar case, another Columbia student, Mohsen Mahdawi, who was born in a West Bank refugee camp and also holds a green card, was detained Monday by DHS officials during a scheduled citizenship interview in Vermont, in what his attorney described as a “retaliatory arrest.”