What We Know About College Activists Detained by Federal Agents

Almost ten recognized students and teachers from various universities nationwide have been arrested by federal authorities due to the Trump administration’s enforcement of stricter immigration policies. These actions particularly target pro-Palestinian student groups and those critical of Israeli policies on campus grounds.

A significant number of individuals who were held have received permission to reside in the U.S., whether as permanent inhabitants or via provisional work or study permits. Nevertheless, their entitlements could now be challenged due to recent broad-ranging immigration directives. These measures worry certain legal authorities who believe they might be excessively employed to suppress oppositional voices.

On Thursday, when addressing journalists, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that over 300 visas — "mostly student visas with some visitor visas included" — had been canceled as per his instructions. However, Rubio didn’t clarify the number linked to individuals associated with the pro-Palestinian cause.

"If they engage in activities contrary to our nation's interests or foreign policies, we'll cancel their visa," Rubio stated.

When questioned regarding freedom of speech issues, Rubio stated that international students come "to study."

They're here for attending classes. They shouldn't be leading disruptive activist movements that erode our universities. It's madness to keep allowing this.

This is what we understand regarding the detention of university student activists.

Mahmoud Khalil

Mahmoud Khalil, who graduated from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and became one of its leading pro-Palestinian voices, was amongst the initial group arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

He was taken into custody by federal agents on March 8 and transported to a detention center in Louisiana following his attorney's statement that his green card had been rescinded by the Trump administration.

Following baseless allegations, the administration commanded Khalil’s deportation, accusing him of being a supporter of Hamas, posing as a danger to national security, and causing potentially significant negative foreign policy implications for the U.S.

Officials subsequently stated that Khalil’s deportation was warranted as he failed to disclose his associations. two organizations In his petition to obtain permanent residency in the U.S., he presented arguments that his lawyers consider rather flimsy.

On March 19, a judge prevented the government from deporting Khalil indefinitely. transferred His case was moved to New Jersey.

Although officials from the Department of Justice aimed to maintain jurisdiction over Khalil’s case in Louisiana ever since his arrest, U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz decided that the proceedings should stay in New Jersey due to Khalil being within the state at the time. his attorneys submitted a habeas corpus petition aiming to contest the legitimacy of his imprisonment, as stated in a 67-page ruling submitted on Tuesday.

“As of March 9 at 4:40 am, the Petitioner was being held in custody in New Jersey,” Farbiarz stated. “According to a federal statute, the petition, even though submitted from New York, should be considered filed in New Jersey on March 9 at 4:40 am. Consequently, this court holds jurisdiction.”

Badar Khan Suri

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian citizen and researcher at Georgetown University who specializes in peacebuilding efforts in the Middle East, was taken into custody at his residence in Virginia during the middle of March following the cancellation of his J-1 visa.

A representative from the Department of Homeland Security claimed that Khan Suri was "actively disseminating Hamas propaganda and endorsing anti-Jewish sentiments online," and also stated that he maintained "strong ties with an individual who is recognized as either a terrorist or has affiliations with terrorism, specifically serving as a high-level adviser to Hamas."

Similar to other detained students, Khan Suri faces accusations of threatening national security. He remains incarcerated in Louisiana.

The legal counsel for Khan Suri refutes assertions made by the US government and contends that Suri's detention is part of an initiative by the Trump administration aimed at curtailing activities "allegedly linked to speech concerning Palestine," as stated in their court filing.

Khan Suri’s lawyer thinks he is being singled out for this reason: His spouse is a well-known Palestinian activist. .

Khan Suri's father-in-law, who resided in the U.S. for twenty years, acted as a political consultant to the Prime Minister of Gaza and held the position of Deputy of Foreign Affairs in Gaza up till 2010, as stated in legal documents.

In a statement to GudangMovies21, a representative from Georgetown University stated, "We trust the legal system to judge Khan Suri’s case impartially."

Rumeysa Ozturk

Turkish citizen Rumeysa Ozturk was heading to break her Ramadan fast in late March when she found herself arrested and physically restrained By six undercover officers close to her apartment near Tufts University’s Somerville campus.

The arrest, which was captured on surveillance video was characterized by Tufts President Sunil Kumar as “troubling.”

In March 2024, the doctoral candidate co-wrote an editorial in the school’s newspaper where she took issue with Tufts' reaction to a student government organization's request for the university to withdraw investments from firms connected to Israel due to the tensions in Gaza, along with several other requests.

When questioned regarding Ozturk’s situation, Rubio implied, without providing proof, that the 30-year-old was involved in tumultuous college demonstrations against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

A representative from DHS informed GudangMovies21 that Ozturk was involved "in actions supporting Hamas," though they didn't clarify what these specific activities entailed.

Ozturk is presently detained at a holding center in Alexandria, Louisiana, as reported by Homeland Security. During her journey to Louisiana, she experienced an asthma attack, according to reports. an updated habeas corpus petition submitted on Friday Ozturk has also not faced charges or had the chance to consult with an attorney.

On Friday, a judge in Boston instructed that Ozturk should not be deported until they could assess whether the Boston court has authority over determining if Ozturk was legally held. This ruling garnered approval from Ozturk’s legal team.

On Tuesday, the US Attorney’s Office in Boston rejected Ozturk’s request, stating that the Boston court lacks jurisdiction over the case since the Tufts University student was moved from the state soon after being arrested.

Ozturk's lawyers plan to submit their reply to the government's counter-argument by Wednesday at 5 p.m., as per Judge Denise Casper's directive.

A university student at the University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota stated campus-wide letter that an international grad student was held by immigration authorities at a location away from campus.

The institution refrained from naming the student but described their detention as "a highly troubling matter."

The DHS initially chose not to provide comments to GudangMovies21 regarding the case and redirected inquiries to ICE. Similarly, the lawyer representing the detained student opted against commenting to GudangMovies21, citing the "sensitive nature of the situation" and emphasizing the desire to safeguard their client’s privacy.

On Monday, a high-ranking DHS representative informed GudangMovies21 that the student was arrested due to a previous instance of drunk driving.

“The official stated on Monday that this matter has nothing to do with student protests. The person involved was apprehended following a visa cancellation by the State Department due to previous criminal activity involving a DUI.”

Holding an international student due to a previous DUI offense appears to indicate a shift in strategy for immigration authorities, who until now seemed more concerned with students involved in demonstrations against the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The detention of the unnamed student has sparked anger among local, state, and national leaders alike. Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who belongs to the Democratic party, — everyone asking for responses from ICE.

Other students and academics were also targeted

• Rasha Alawieh, a faculty member holding a valid US visa at Brown Medical School was expelled from Boston to Lebanon following the discovery made by federal agents She went to the funeral of ex-Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah. In February, Alawieh admitted that she endorsed Nasrallah’s religious and spiritual methods but did not agree with his political stance. An attorney acting on behalf of the professor through a relative continues to work towards bringing her back to the nation.
• Momodou Taal, A person who holds citizenship in both the United Kingdom and Gambia and is enrolled in a PhD program in Africana Studies at Cornell University saw their student visa rescinded due to participation in "disturbance protests," as reported by U.S. government sources. This decision was made by a U.S. District Judge. declined to immediately block the U.S. government from expelling him following his filing of a preemptive legal action aimed at preventing its implementation against him. On Monday, Taalendant announced He plans to depart from the US willingly. His lawyer hasn't replied to GudangMovies21’s inquiries for remarks.
• Alireza Doroudi, An individual from Iran, studying as a mechanical engineering graduate student at the University of Alabama, was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers early Tuesday morning, according to an unapproved spokesperson for GudangMovies21. The informant mentioned they were uncertain whether Doroudi had taken part in any pro-Palestinian protests. They also stated that Doroudi apparently violated immigration rules by remaining beyond the duration permitted under his student visa.
• Leqaa Kordia, a student from the West Bank who was attending Columbia University, had her student visa revoked in January 2022 for lack of attendance Last year, she was apprehended by local authorities due to her participation in "pro-Hamas demonstrations," which the Department of HomelandSecurity characterized as such.
• Yunseo Chung, A U.S. permanent resident and a junior at Columbia University filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to prevent deportation following her arrest for taking part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Attempts to apprehend Chung were unsuccessful. momentarily halted by a ruling from a federal judge last week.
• Ranjani Srinivasan, A person who is an Indian citizen and a Fulbright scholar enrolled at Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation departed for Canada following the revocation of their visa. They were scheduled to complete their five-year course this year.
• Kseniia Petrova, A research associate at Harvard Medical School was arrested in February for not reporting frog embryos when she arrived in Boston from France, as stated by her lawyer, Greg Romanovsky, to GudangMovies21. Currently held in custody in Louisiana, she may be deported to Russia, where her legal representative claims she could be immediately apprehended due to her prior vocal stance against Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine.

The State Department requires extra checks for certain visa applicants.

Abroad, immigration authorities have instructed their personnel to perform more thorough examinations of individuals applying for visas.

During the weekend, the State Department issued a memorandum instructing all U.S. embassies and consulates to review the social media history of specific student visa applicants to look for signs of affiliation with terrorist groups, according to two individuals privy to the details shared with GudangMovies21.

The comprehensive directive, issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, directs "Fraud Prevention Units" within the department to capture screenshots of any social media activities that indicate an individual’s inadmissibility for a visa. These records must be kept intact even if applicants remove their online posts, according to the sources.

The memorandum states that visa determinations are considered matters of national security, referencing executive orders issued by President Donald Trump aimed at combating terrorism and anti-Semitism.

GudangMovies21 has contacted the State Department for their input.

GudangMovies21's Gloria Pazmino and Sean Lyngaas provided contributions for this report.

The narrative has been expanded with further details.

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