Overview

• The Trump administration has arrested two foreign students linked to pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, citing visa violations and alleged ties to Hamas, though evidence remains unclear.
• Columbia University faces a $400 million federal funding cut and demands to place its Middle Eastern Studies department under external receivership, with compliance deadlines set by the administration.
• Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a green-card holder and former Columbia student, has been detained under a rarely used immigration law, raising concerns about free speech violations.
• Civil liberties groups and legal experts argue these actions represent an unconstitutional crackdown on political dissent and academic freedom, drawing comparisons to McCarthy-era tactics.
• The administration has threatened further actions against universities nationwide, with Trump explicitly linking federal funding to compliance with his policies on campus protests and definitions of anti-Semitism.