Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, announced that the federal government will continue to cancel student visas of foreign nationals participating in campus protests critical of Israel.
During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on May 20, Rubio addressed concerns that the government had revoked visas of students expressing opposition to Israel. He emphasized, “A visa is not a right. It is a privilege,” according to AFP.
“We will do more,” Rubio said. “We will continue to cancel the visas of people who come here as guests and disrupt our higher education institutions.”
Rubio’s remarks came in response to criticism from Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, who said visa revocations over political expression violate freedom of speech, not national security.
Rubio replied that the policy is aimed at students who “lead protests on campus, occupy libraries, and try to set buildings on fire,” distancing the action from peaceful dissent.
According to Reuters, Rubio stated during the hearing that the number of student visas already canceled under his direction could be “probably in the thousands.”
Since the start of the Trump administration, the State Department has intensified visa scrutiny, particularly targeting international students and researchers involved in anti-Israel activities. Visa applications have faced tighter reviews, and mass revocations have increased.
