Breaking: Trump's Crackdown on Columbia University Students
Infiltration at Columbia University: Authorities Storm Campus Facilities
The DOJ Raid at Columbia University's campus is the latest escalation in the Trump administration's clampdown on pro-Palestinian activists. Agents from the Department of Homeland Security conducted searches on campus apartments Thursday evening, investigating allegations of harboring wanted individuals.
Hidden Students InvestigationDeputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the investigation, focusing on potential sheltering of "illegal aliens" on campus. The raid is part of an ongoing probe into the campus' involvement in shielding individuals from authorities.
Terrorist Crimes AccusationsThe Department of Justice is also examining whether Columbia University's handling of previous incidents could violate civil rights laws or fall under "terrorist crimes." Blanche hasn't confirmed if the university itself is suspected of committing terrorist acts, or if it's the students involved in pro-Palestinian protests.
Palestinians in Custody
Despite no arrests during the raid, immigration authorities nabbed a Palestinian woman, Mahmud Chalil, for allegedly overstaying her student visa. Chalil, a West Bank native, was previously arrested and released for her role in protests at the university in 2024. Additionally, they revoked the visa of Indian doctoral student Ranjani Srinivasan for supporting violence and terrorism, who left the country voluntarily this week.
Activist Detention and Protests
Chalil's arrest follows her leading role in student protests at the university, accused of corruption and misconduct by the university administration and prompting President Trump's threat to deport students involved in "pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activities." Protests have erupted on campus and legal challenges have been filed, highlighting the intensity of the situation.
Suspended or Expelled Students
Columbia University has temporarily suspended or expelled some students and revoked the degrees of graduates who participated in the occupation of Hamilton Hall during pro-Palestinian protests in 2024. The move comes after an assessment of the misconduct by the university's general counsel,triggering protests from students and faculty.
[1] Sources: The Atlantic, The Intercept, Haaretz, The New York Times[2] Sources: Washington Post, MSNBC, The Guardian, CNN, BBC News[4] Source: B'Tselem, Human Rights Watch reports on Israel-Hamas conflict-related campus activism crackdowns
- The ongoing investigation by the Department of Justice into Columbia University includes examinations of the community policy, research, and students' involvement, particularly in relation to allegations of harboring individuals and potential violations of civil rights laws or terrorist crimes.
- During the DOJ Raids at Columbia University, a Palestinian woman named Mahmud Chalil, a former student leader in pro-Palestinian protests, was allegedly found to have overstayed her student visa and was taken into custody, while an Indian doctoral student, Ranjani Srinivasan, had her visa revoked for supporting violence and terrorism.
- The severity of the situation at Columbia University has been highlighted by the suspension or expulsion of students and revocation of degrees for their participation in pro-Palestinian protests, as well as by the use of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp for organizing and supporting protests against these actions.
