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Foreign students say the threat of Trump's executive orders is getting real

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Foreign students say the threat of Trump's executive orders is getting real

Pro-Palestinian students hold up Palestinian flags during UMass Amherst graduation ceremonies in May 2024. They left the graduation event in protest.

John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images


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John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

It was billed as a “Palestine Night” gala and fundraiser, with proceeds going to families in Gaza. At the campus student center at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, students in traditional Palestinian red and black robes mingled with others amid tables selling jewelry and keffiyeh head coverings, a photo booth, and prayer mats.

The annual event, put on by Students for Justice in Palestine, is usually a big draw, but this year, more than a few students were nervous about showing up.

“I was scared that I would get photographed or something, and that would cause a problem,” said one foreign student in the U.S. who asked that her name not be used for fear of jeopardizing her visa. “My dad knows that I am very pro-Palestine, and he was like be very careful, like you don’t want to take any risks.”

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The risks for foreign students have heightened dramatically since President Trump’s recent executive orders cracking down on those deemed to be supporting U.S.-designated terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, and the directives already appear to be chilling political activism.

One order targets foreigners who “threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology” or “support designated foreign terrorists.” A second order meant to combat antisemitism specifically targets “Hamas sympathizers on college campuses.” Both call for strict enforcement of existing immigration laws that bar visas for any such foreigners.

“To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice,” Trump said. “We will find you, and we will deport you.”

Abed Ayoub, head of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, say the threat is getting real. He says the ADC has heard from at least a dozen students who left the U.S. for winter break and were unable to return because their visas were cancelled — with no explanation given.

“Two of them have no involvement at all with student activism on campus. They just happened to be from Gaza,” Ayoub says. “This should be a concern of all Americans because this opens the door to really criminalizing any speech and any expression in the nation.”

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Asked for confirmation that visas were cancelled, a State Department spokesperson said they could not comment because of confidentiality laws. The spokesperson said that “the State Department generally revokes visas when information comes to light indicating that an applicant may no longer be eligible for the visa under U.S. immigration laws, including when an applicant poses a threat to U.S. public safety and national security.”

Some students welcome the orders, saying any student who crosses the line from pro-Palestinian advocacy to supporting terrorist groups is not acceptable on campus. And they say it’s too early to say that any crackdown will probe to be an overreach. But others are fearful, laying low for the moment and skipping events and protests, or showing up anyway, with trepidation, like the student at the “Palestine Night” event who asked that her name not be used.

“I feel like college is a time when we should be able to speak freely,” she said. “I’ve been raised with the values that I should be vocal about what I believe in, so it almost feels like I’m lying to myself when I can’t say what I feel.”

Trump’s order on antisemitism calls on schools to monitor their foreign students and staff — and report those who are “Hamas sympathizers” or “pro-jihadist,” as Trump put it. Schools contacted by NPR declined to comment on how they will comply with the directive, or said only that they’re still reviewing it.

Meantime, pro-Israel groups say they’re receiving a growing number of tips accusing campus activists of supporting U.S.-designated terrorist organizations.

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“One of my friends … was texting me frantically”

It’s all fueling concerns that “support” will be over-broadly interpreted, and authorities will be cracking down even on peaceful protesters, the majority of whom are focused on human rights and divestment. Many students worry that Trump’s orders are a thinly veiled attempt to silence any pro-Palestinian advocacy.

“Their main target is anyone who supports Palestine in any way shape or form,” says another student, an American citizen born to Palestinian parents, who asked not to be named for fear of harassment. He says his friends on student visas are terrified that even an old post or photo could come back to haunt them.

“One of my friends actually was texting me frantically” in the middle of the night, he recalls. “His face was in one of those posts, and he was texting me, ‘Can we get this post removed?’ And that kind of hit me, this is serious.”

Some college newspapers are hearing the same concerns, so much so that the student newspaper at Purdue University, The Purdue Exponent, decided to give blanket anonymity to all students at all pro-Palestinian protests. The paper even scrubbed all protesters’ names and photos from its archives, explaining that it “refuses to be party to such a blatant violation of the First Amendment rights.”

Other students, however, have denounced the paper’s new policy, saying that’ll make it tougher to hold protesters accountable and to restore safety and stability to campuses.

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“I think that’s wrong,” says Sabrina Soffer, a pro-Israel student at George Washington University. “It’s like when [protesters] wear masks. It’s just another way to put another obstacle in the way of holding students accountable.”

Of course, Soffer says, implementation of the executive orders must be thoughtful and judicious. “Being pro-Palestinian is not being pro-jihad,” she says. “But at the same time, we have to be scrupulous enough to make sure that those who really are a threat and who are connected to these terrorist organizations are the ones held accountable.”

Maia Shteyman, a pro-Israel student from UMass Amherst, agrees. Students demanding humanitarian aid in Gaza, criticizing Israel or waving a Palestinian flag, for example, are not the issue, Shteyman says. But, she says, she’s seen some protesters openly supporting U.S.-labeled terrorist groups on her campus, and that needs to be addressed.

“They were wearing Hamas-like uniforms, with the headbands, and there were intifada signs everywhere [saying] ‘Go Hamas,’ and pro-Hamas stuff. They were just saying this stuff straight up to our face,” Shteyman says.

“I think it’s much more common that you might imagine, that there are people actually coordinating with Hamas, that they are acting as the PR agents of Hamas,” says attorney Mark Goldfeder, director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center. He has filed a federal lawsuit alleging direct ties between student groups and U.S.-designated terrorist organizations, and some protesters’ explicit support for them.

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“They are saying, ‘We are Hamas and we want to do these things,’ ” Goldfeder says. “It behooves us to believe them and to take precautions for our national security. It is genuinely dangerous. And you don’t even have to like the Jews to worry about it because they’re coming for the United States, as well.”

Deportation attempts likely to wind up in court

Ultimately, any effort to deport a student for protest activity is all but certain to be challenged in court.

“The government would have a huge First Amendment hurdle to overcome if it sought to go after someone for their pure speech,” says David Cole, Georgetown Law professor and former national legal director with the American Civil Liberties Union. “If it were enforced, it would be, I believe, struck down.”

Others take a different view. Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, is also a staunch free speech proponent. But in this case, he says, “It’s not about policing or prosecuting speech, it’s about enforcing immigration regulations, and immigration regulations say that if you espouse support for certain groups that are inimical to the American interest, then you don’t get a visa, or if you’re here already then your visa gets revoked.”

Meantime, pro-Palestinian students are left contemplating their risk. Some, like a 27-year old graduate student from the West Bank, who asked that his name not be used for fear of being targeted, says he will continue to speak out.

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“I mean my people are being slaughtered there and dehumanized,” he says. “I’m not going to just sit down there and just be afraid of speaking out, no matter what the consequences are.”

Still, he did reach out to a free-speech advocacy group to make sure he’s got help lined up just in case, as he put it, someone wants to “get rid of” him.

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Senate Adopts GOP Budget, Laying the Groundwork to Fund ICE and Reopen DHS

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Senate Adopts GOP Budget, Laying the Groundwork to Fund ICE and Reopen DHS

The Senate early Thursday morning adopted a Republican budget blueprint that would pave the way for a $70 billion increase for immigration enforcement and the eventual reopening of the Department of Homeland Security.

Republicans pushed through the plan on a nearly party-line vote of 50 to 48. It came after an overnight marathon of rapid-fire votes, known as a vote-a-rama, in which the G.O.P. beat back a series of Democratic proposals aimed at addressing the high cost of health care, housing, food and energy. The debate put the two parties’ dueling messages on vivid display six months before the midterm elections.

Republicans, who are using the budget plan to lay the groundwork to eventually push through a filibuster-proof bill providing a multiyear funding stream for President Trump’s immigration crackdown, used the all-night session to highlight their hard-line stance on border security, seeking to portray Democrats as unwilling to safeguard the country.

Democrats tried and failed to add a series of changes aimed at addressing cost-of-living issues, seizing the opportunity to hammer Republicans as out of touch with and unwilling to act on the concerns of everyday Americans.

Here’s what to know about the budget plan and the nocturnal ritual senators engaged in before adopting it.

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The budget blueprint is a crucial piece of Republicans’ plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security and end a shutdown that has lasted for more than two months. After Democrats refused to fund immigration enforcement without new restrictions on agents’ tactics and conduct, the G.O.P. struck a deal with them to pass a spending bill that would fund everything but ICE and the Border Patrol. Republicans said they would fund those agencies through a special budget bill that Democrats could not block.

“We can fix this with Republican votes, and we will,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina and the Budget Committee chairman. “Every Democrat has opposed money for the Border Patrol and ICE at a time of great peril.”

In resorting to a new budget blueprint, Republicans laid the groundwork to deny Democrats a chance to stop the immigration enforcement funding. But they also submitted themselves to a vote-a-rama, in which any senator can propose unlimited changes to such a measure before it is adopted.

The budget measure now goes to the House, which must adopt it before lawmakers in both chambers can draft the legislation funding immigration enforcement. That bill will provide yet another opportunity for a vote-a-rama even closer to the November election.

Democrats took to the floor to criticize Republicans for supercharging funding for federal immigration enforcement rather than moving legislation that would address Americans’ concerns over affordability.

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“This is what Republicans are fighting for,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the Democratic leader. “To maintain two unchecked rogue agencies that are dreaded in all corners of this country instead of reducing your health care costs, your housing costs, your grocery costs, your gas costs.”

Democrats offered a host of amendments along those lines, all of which were defeated by Republicans — and that was the point. The proposals were meant to put the G.O.P. in a tough political spot, showcasing their opposition to helping Americans afford high living costs. Fewer than a handful of G.O.P. senators crossed party lines to support them.

The G.O.P. thwarted an effort by Mr. Schumer to require that the budget measure lower out-of-pocket health care costs for Americans. Two Republicans who are up for re-election this year, Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, voted with Democrats, but the proposal was still defeated.

Republicans also squelched a move by Senator Ben Ray Lujan, Democrat of New Mexico, to create a fund that would lower grocery costs and reverse cuts to food aid programs that Republicans enacted last year. Ms. Collins and Mr. Sullivan again joined Democrats.

Also defeated by the G.O.P.: a proposal by Senator John Hickenlooper, Democrat of Colorado, to address rising consumer prices brought on by Mr. Trump’s tariffs and the war in Iran; one by Senator Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, to require the budget measure to address rising electricity prices, and another by Mr. Markey to create a fund to bring down housing costs.

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Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat who is up for re-election in Georgia, also sought to add language requiring the budget plan to address health insurance companies denying or delaying access to care, but that, too was blocked by Republicans.

While Republicans had fewer proposals for changes to their own budget plan, they also sought to offer measures that would underscore their aggressive stance on immigration enforcement and dare Democrats to vote against them.

Mr. Graham offered an amendment to allocate funds toward a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to the apprehension and deportation of adult immigrants convicted of rape, murder, or sexual abuse of a minor after illegally entering the United States. It passed unanimously.

Senator Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri, sought to bar Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood, which provides abortion and other services, and criticized the organization for providing transgender care to minors. Senator John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, also attempted to tack on the G.O.P. voter identification bill, known as the SAVE America Act. Both proposals were blocked when Democrats, joined by a few Republicans, voted to strike them as unrelated to the budget plan.

The Republicans who crossed party lines to oppose their own party’s proposals for new voting requirements were Ms. Collins along with Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

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Ms. Collins and Ms. Murkowski also opposed the effort to block payments to Planned Parenthood.

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Who is John Phelan, the US Navy Secretary fired by Pete Hegseth?

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Who is John Phelan, the US Navy Secretary fired by Pete Hegseth?

The firing of US Navy Secretary John Phelan is the latest in a shakeup of the American military during the war on Iran, now in its eighth week.

The Pentagon said Phelan would leave office immediately.

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“On behalf of the Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War, we are grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy,” said chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. “We wish him well in his future endeavours”.

His firing comes at a critical moment, with US naval forces enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports and ships, and maintaining a heavy presence around the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas passes during peacetime.

Although the Pentagon gave no official reason for the dismissal, reports indicate the decision was linked to internal disputes, including tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

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Phelan’s removal is part of a broader pattern of dismissals and restructuring within the US military under President Donald Trump’s administration – including during the current war.

So, who is John Phelan, and what impact could his firing have on US military strategy?

Who is John Phelan?

As the US Navy’s top civilian official, Phelan had various responsibilities, including overseeing recruiting, mobilising and organising, as well as construction and repair of ships and military equipment.

He was appointed in 2024 as a political ally of Trump, despite having no prior military or defence leadership experience.

Before entering government, Phelan was a businessman and investment executive, as well as a major Republican donor and fundraiser — a background that is fairly common among Trump appointees and advisers. The US president’s two top diplomatic negotiators, for instance, are Steve Witkoff — a real estate businessman with no prior diplomatic experience – and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

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According to the Reuters news agency, Phelan’s tenure quickly became controversial. He faced criticism for moving too slowly on shipbuilding reforms and for strained relationships with key Pentagon figures, including Hegseth and his deputy, Steve Feinberg.

rump with U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General Michael Borgschulte and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan (R) before the game between the Navy Midshipmen and the Army West Point Black Knights at M&T Bank Stadium [File: Tommy Gilligan/Imagn Images/Reuters]

In addition, Phelan was reportedly under an ethics investigation, which may have weakened his standing in the administration.

Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao, who was also reported to have a difficult relationship with Phelan, has become acting secretary. Fifty-four-year-old Cao is a 25-year Navy veteran who previously ran as a Republican candidate for the US Senate and House of Representatives in 2022 and 2024 respectively, but was unsuccessful on both occasions.

Democrats have criticised Phelan’s removal, calling it “troubling”.

“I am concerned it is yet another example of the instability and dysfunction that have come to define the Department of Defense under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth,” said Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

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Who else has the Trump administration fired since the war with Iran began?

Phelan’s removal is the latest in a series of senior military leaders being fired or are leaving during the US-Israeli war on Iran, in addition to others since Trump was re-elected.

Among the most notable dismissals was Army Chief of Staff General Randy A. George, in the first week of April. George was appointed in 2023 under former US President Joe Biden.

According to reports, Hegseth also fired the head of the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, a unit concerned with modernising the army, and the Army’s chief of chaplains. The Pentagon has not confirmed their dismissal.

Why is Phelan’s dismissal significant?

The 62-year-old’s removal comes during a fragile ceasefire with Iran, as the ⁠⁠US continues to move more naval assets into the region.

The Navy is central to enforcing Trump’s blockade of Iranian ports to restrict Iran’s oil exports and apply economic pressure on Tehran, as the US president looks eager to wrap up the war, which is deeply unpopular to many Americans.

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However, there are no indications that Trump is willing to end the blockade or other naval operations in the Strait of Hormuz, as negotiations between Washington and Tehran have come to a standstill.

Tensions have escalated in recent days after the US military seized an Iranian container ship. The US claimed it was attempting to sail from the Arabian Sea through the Strait of Hormuz to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.

Tehran responded by describing the attack and hijack as an act of “piracy”.

Iran has since captured two cargo ships and fired at another.

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Not a Deal-Breaker: White House Downplays Iranian Action Near the Strait

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Not a Deal-Breaker: White House Downplays Iranian Action Near the Strait

Just two weeks ago, President Trump threatened to wipe out Iran’s civilization if it did not open the Strait of Hormuz. Days later, he said any Iranian “who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!”

Yet on Wednesday, after Iran seized two ships near the Strait of Hormuz, the White House was quick to argue the action was not a deal breaker for potential peace negotiations.

“These were not U.S. ships,” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said on Fox News. “These were not Israeli ships.” Therefore, she explained, the Iranians had not violated a cease-fire with the United States that Mr. Trump has extended indefinitely.

She cautioned the news media against “blowing this out of proportion.”

The surprisingly tolerant tone from the White House suggests Mr. Trump is not eager to reignite a war that he started alongside Israel on Feb. 28 — a war that has proved unpopular with Americans and has gone on longer than he initially estimated.

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The president on Tuesday extended a cease-fire between the United States and Iran that had been set to expire within hours, saying he wanted to give Tehran a chance to come up with a new proposal to end the war.

The American military has displayed its overwhelming might during the war, successfully striking thousands of targets. But it remains unclear whether Mr. Trump will accomplish the political objectives of the war.

The Iranian regime, even after its top leaders were killed, is still intact. Iran has not agreed to Mr. Trump’s demands to turn over its nuclear capabilities to the United States or significantly curtail them. And the Strait of Hormuz, a key passageway for world commerce that was open before the war, remains closed.

Nevertheless, the White House has repeatedly highlighted the military successes on the battlefield as evidence it is winning the war.

“We have completely confused and obliterated their regime,” Ms. Leavitt said on Fox Wednesday. “They are in a very weak position thanks to the actions taken by President Trump and our great United States armed forces, and so we will continue this important mission on our own.”

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The oscillation between threats and a more conciliatory tone has long been one of Mr. Trump’s signature negotiating strategies.

Potential peace talks between the two countries are on hold. Vice President JD Vance had been poised to fly to Islamabad for negotiations. But the trip was postponed until Iran can “come up with a unified proposal,” Mr. Trump said.

The United States recently transmitted a written proposal to the Iranians intended to establish base-line points of agreement that could frame more detailed negotiations. The document covers a broad range of issues, but the core sticking points are the same ones that have bedeviled Western negotiators for more than a decade: the scope of Iran’s uranium enrichment program and the fate of its stockpile of enriched uranium.

Mr. Trump has not spoken publicly about the cease-fire, other than on social media. On Wednesday, he also posted about topics including “my Apprentice Juggernaut” — a reference to his former television show; the Virginia elections, which he called “rigged”; and a new book about Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.

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