Race Day Live President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to cancel student visas for foreign students who took part in pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses. This move has sparked concerns among immigration advocates and students across Michigan.
Michigan saw many such protests, especially in cities like Hamtramck, Dearborn, and Detroit, as well as at the University of Michigan.
These protests led to several arrests and police intervention, including the clearing of a major encampment in May 2024.
The protests were linked to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The war began on October 7, 2023, after a surprise Hamas attack on Israel that resulted in about 1,200 deaths and over 200 hostages.
Since then, more than 47,000 Palestinians have died, and over 112,000 have been injured, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
The war has become a key issue in the 2024 presidential race. Many pro-Palestinian activists have criticized Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden for their support of Israel.
While some Arab-American leaders backed Trump, others supported Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
Trump announced the new order on Wednesday, stating that student visas would be “quickly canceled” for “all Hamas sympathizers” on college campuses. He claimed that universities have become “infested with radicalism like never before.”
“To all resident aliens who joined pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you,” Trump warned.
Legal experts say that while First Amendment rights protect free speech, non-citizens can still face deportation.
Ruby Robinson, an attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, explained that international students typically need to be convicted of a crime to be deported. However, terrorism-related laws are stricter.
“If the government believes you pose a national security threat or support a terrorist group, that alone could make you deportable, even if you’re here legally,” Robinson said.
Under U.S. law, members or representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) cannot receive visas unless given a special waiver.
There are no other named terrorist groups explicitly listed in the law, according to Robinson.
The University of Michigan is reviewing the executive order and its impact on students. A university spokesperson, Kay Jarvis, said officials are monitoring the situation and have created a webpage to provide updates.
The page covers federal policies on funding, diversity initiatives, international students, and undocumented individuals.
Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump had already set the stage for such an order with previous immigration policies.
“This is one of the broadest executive orders I have seen,” Alden said, comparing it to post-9/11 policies when immigration laws were used to target individuals suspected of terrorism.
Alden noted that challenging the order legally could be difficult. The Supreme Court previously upheld Trump’s authority when he issued a travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries in 2017.
“Immigration laws give the president a lot of power, with little oversight from the courts. This order allows the administration to target anyone on a temporary visa,” Alden explained.
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Advocates worry that the order could have a chilling effect on free speech. Robinson believes it is intentionally vague and overreaching to create fear. “Just because it’s in the order doesn’t mean it’s enforceable,” he said.
Even if individuals are not guilty of any crime, Alden warns that they could still be detained for months due to backlogs in the immigration court system. “The criminal justice system has far more protections than the immigration system,” he added.
During his campaign, Trump has promised to bring back a stricter travel ban. U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Detroit, has accused him of laying the groundwork for a new “Muslim ban.”
“Trump is already setting up the foundation for another travel ban,” Tlaib said in a speech last week. “This is an attack on an entire faith, and it goes against American values.”
Governor Gretchen Whitmer said Michigan has prepared for different scenarios but has not yet seen an increase in immigration raids. She declined to comment on whether state police would assist in federal deportation efforts.
Trump also suggested that Egypt and Jordan take in Palestinian refugees, saying, “We should clean out the whole thing.” He proposed building housing in other locations where Palestinians could “live in peace for a change.”
The executive order has raised concerns among legal experts, immigrant advocates, and university officials. Many worry about its impact on free speech, student rights, and the broader immigration system.
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