US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the revocation of 300 student visas, targeting those involved in pro-Gaza protests, amid a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism in US universities.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Thursday that at least 300 foreign students had their student visas revoked as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, a number far higher than previously known.
Rubio confirmed this during a press conference in Guyana, when asked to comment on reports from Axios.
“Maybe more, it might be more than 300 at this point,” Rubio said, adding that he hopes the number is even higher.
“We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visa,” he added. “I hope at some point we run out because we have gotten rid of all of them, but we’re looking every day for these lunatics that are tearing things up.”
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Axios had previously reported that the Trump administration had revoked the visas of 300 foreign students, with officials also considering blocking universities that have too many “pro-Hamas” foreign students from admitting any international students.
The crackdown has been particularly prominent at universities such as Columbia University, Tufts University, and the University of Alabama, where protests supporting Palestine and demanding an end to the Israeli genocide have escalated.
The administration’s actions have even extended to permanent legal residents, such as Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder.
In response to these actions, US Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized the crackdown, describing it as a troubling attempt to curb civil liberties.
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She voiced concerns about the disproportionate targeting of students with legal status, noting that these students are being removed from their communities without following due process.
Warren called the actions an assault on the basic freedoms guaranteed by the US Constitution, and she criticized the Trump administration for its approach toward pro-Palestinian activists in academic settings.
Arrest of Turkish Student
This development follows the arrest of Turkish doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk, a 30-year-old Ph.D. student at Tufts University, who was detained by masked US immigration agents in Massachusetts.
Ozturk, who was maintaining valid F-1 status as a student, was on her way to meet friends for the evening to break her Ramadan fast when she was arrested by DHS agents. Her lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabai, confirmed in a statement that Ozturk’s whereabouts were initially unknown, prompting legal actions to prevent her transfer out of the state.
MPAC: @mpac_national demands the immediate release of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts student and F-1 visa holder abducted by DHS agents with no charges—on her way to an Iftar. pic.twitter.com/kyu8hFxrfk
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) March 27, 2025
The DHS justified Ozturk’s detention by claiming she was involved in activities supporting Hamas. Ozturk had co-authored an op-ed in 2024 calling for Tufts University to divest from companies with ties to Israel, a position that was flagged by groups like Canary Mission, which targets pro-Palestinian students and activists.
Her case has become emblematic of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists in US universities, including other notable cases such as that of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate, and Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri.
Tufts University itself responded to Ozturk’s arrest by stating it had no prior knowledge of the incident, stressing that the university did not share any information with federal authorities. University President Sunil Kumar confirmed that Ozturk’s visa status had been terminated, though the institution remained uncertain about the specific details.
In the aftermath, protests erupted at Tufts University, where thousands gathered in support of Ozturk, demanding her immediate release.
(PC, Anadolu, The Hill, AJA)
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