Marco Rubio Threatens Deportations Over Columbia Protest: 'Pro-Hamas Thugs Are No Longer Welcome'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the department he leads is reviewing the visa status of demonstrators involved in the takeover of Columbia University's library, signaling a potential escalation in the Trump administration's crackdown on international students tied to campus protests.

About 80 people were arrested after storming the university's library on Wednesday night, injuring two university employees. Many protesters wore masks that covered their faces while they entered the library and would not disperse when told and then warned about a potential police response.

"We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia University's library," Rubio said in a post on X following the arrest of approximately 80 pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia. "Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation."

Columbia University Acting President Claire Shipman said in a statement on Wednesday that the administration called in the NYPD after protesters refused to leave and disrupted students preparing for finals. She condemned the demonstration as "utterly unacceptable," adding that it posed reputational risks for the institution and caused anxiety among international students.

The university could not confirm whether all participants were students or if some were external actors.

Rubio's remarks and the administration's response align with broader efforts to penalize universities perceived as failing to address campus antisemitism. GOP leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, echoed Rubio's stance, warning that international students involved in such protests may face immigration consequences.

The administration's focus on international students has already resulted in the revocation of legal status for more than 1,800 foreign students in recent months. While some of those records are now being reinstated after hundreds of legal challenges, the initial terminations raised alarms across higher education institutions. The Justice Department has acknowledged flaws in how records were reviewed and said a new process is being implemented.

The Department of Homeland Security disclosed that 10 to 20 staff used FBI databases to screen 1.3 million student names, resulting in 6,400 potential matches. Around 3,000 students ultimately had their visas revoked based on that review. Critics argue the system risks false positives and disproportionately affects students with common names or minor prior infractions.