On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump lashed out against students protesting Israel’s war on Gaza, which a growing number of academics and international organizations call a genocide. At the Republican National Convention, the party proposed deporting protesters deemed “radical” and focused on those who participated in Pro-Palestinian protests.
Policies limiting the expressive freedoms of international students could greatly impact their experience. In light of increasing threats, organizations like the Association of International Educators (NAFSA) are encouraging universities to prepare guidance on the possible legal consequences of engaging in protests.
The long history of student protests
Students have often been at the forefront of political movements, not only in the United States but also around the world. From civil rights to the anti-war movement, students pushed the United States in a more progressive direction, and at every turn, they were called extremists, radicals, and un-American. Donald Trump’s threats against international students echo these slanderous campaigns of the past. For many on the right, international students who come to study in the country are not meant to voice their opposition to the government’s decisions, even when their families are on the receiving end of those policies.
Instead, some members of the GOP would like to see gratitude from students who are granted the opportunity to study in the U.S. This view often…
