Staff Reports
Tennessee Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Deport Foreign Students Participating in American Campus Protests
Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee has introduced a bill aimed at foreign students who have partaken in recent protests on American college campuses. The bill, filed on Wednesday, seeks to revoke the visa of any student “arrested for rioting or unlawful protest.” It also calls for students arrested while participating in or promoting an encampment at a college to be mandated to complete six months of “community service” in Gaza.
Bill That Would Send Arrested Palestinian Students to Gaza Hits Congress via @WestJournalism https://t.co/aLnN6f7ipa That's what I'm talking about.
— Carl Shepard (@carmat4ever) May 9, 2024
Ogles expressed that the protests, particularly those critical of Israel and supportive of Hamas, have gone too far. He emphasized that allowing non-Americans to disrupt American universities is unacceptable. Ogles made it clear that foreign students studying in the United States should respect the nation that provides them with a valuable education, and he criticized elite universities for admitting individuals sympathetic to terrorist organizations.
Support for the bill has been echoed by Republican Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, who emphasized that supporting Hamas should warrant a foreign student’s removal from the country. Ogles stated that the recent protests have disrupted campus activities, including commencement ceremonies, and that it is time to take action against unlawful activity on college campuses.
The bill has also garnered support from Rep. Randy Weber of Texas, who asserted that individuals supporting terrorist organizations and participating in unlawful activity on campuses should experience the consequences of their actions. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Investigations has revealed that a temporary suspension or revocation of a student’s visa could result in a ban on future entry to the United States rather than deportation.
This bill has stirred debate and will likely continue to do so as it progresses through the legislative process.
