Warning shot over political activism by overseas college students on US campuses after Chinese language scholar’s visa is revoked – The Instances of India
TOI Correspondent from Washington: College students from India sometimes embrace a way of life in US that’s stated to revolve round “condo and division.” Older graduate college students could also be a bit of extra adventurous, shuttling between “Advisor and Budweiser.” The uncommon ones who’re audacious sufficient to dabble in political activism acquired a salutary warning this week with the Trump administration revoking the scholar visa of a Chinese language scholar in California for collaborating in pro-Palestinian rallies on the campus.
The State Division didn’t title the scholar however social media posts recognized her as Liu Lijun, a grad scholar at College of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Liu got here to prominence after her arrest in Might 2024 following campus unrest tied to the Israel-Hamas struggle after the Palestinian extremist group attacked Israel. Whereas some experiences characterised her as an organizer main the protests towards Israel’s retaliation, others stated she was solely a participant whose arrest pitched her into the limelight.
Hypothesis about overseas scholar visa revocations has been within the air for weeks after President Trump signed an govt order on January 29 geared toward combating what the administration described as rising antisemitism and harassment of Jewish college students on school campuses. The order particularly focused worldwide college students concerned in pro-Palestinian activism, authorizing the Departments of Schooling, State, and Homeland Safety to watch and report actions by overseas college students and employees that might result in investigations and, if warranted, visa revocations or deportations.
Liu Lijun’s visa revocation is claimed to be the primary of its sort in current instances and comes on the heels of the Trump administration canning $400 million in federal funding from Columbia College for failing to combat anti-semitism on campus. 9 different universities, together with George Washington College; Harvard College; Johns Hopkins College; New York College; Northwestern College; the College of California, Los Angeles; the College of California, Berkeley; the College of Minnesota; and the College of Southern California, are underneath scrutiny, with Justice Division officers visiting them to look into political activism by overseas college students, which extra excessive MAGA parts characterize as assist for terrorists.
Hundreds of scholars from India are learning at these campuses, all positioned in Democrat-run states and liberal enclaves within the US. India is now the main nation of origin for worldwide college students within the U.S., with 331,602 Indian college students enrolled in American greater schooling establishments, a 23% improve from the prior yr when China was the highest nation.
Trump himself has railed towards “woke” and ‘liberal” activism on campuses, which he says are dominated by the “radical left” or “Marxist” influences that prioritize gender identification discussions and important race concept on the expense of conventional American ideas. After he delivered a $ 400million blow to Columbia this week, the White Home trolled the college, posting a photograph of Trump with the message “Shalom Columbia!”
Most universities, together with Columbia, are shortly falling in line whilst civil liberties activists are raging concerning the struggle on free speech and peaceable protests which have lengthy been the hallmark of American campuses. However MAGA hardliners argue that proper can’t be exercised by overseas college students, least of all these from China, whose authorities wouldn’t permit protests by its personal residents.
Not everyone seems to be satisfied concerning the Trump dispensation’s stance on anti-semitism although. “Revoking federal grants to Columbia College isn’t about combating anti-Semitism; it’s concerning the Trump administration’s struggle on schooling and science. If the Trump administration have been as severe about anti-Semitism … they might not have crammed their ranks with unapologetic antisemites,” Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler stated.
“At present’s announcement does nothing to maintain Jewish college students protected and sends a chilling message that universities should align with the MAGA agenda or face monetary smash,” he added.
