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State Department says visa-review of protesters at Columbia University is ongoing
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Summary
State Department spokesperson Tammy said the department is reviewing the visa status of individuals involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University and that the review is ongoing; she tied possible action to arrests and vandalism reported at the campus event.
The State Department said it is reviewing the visa status of individuals involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University and that the review is ongoing.
Spokesperson Tammy said the secretary had "noted, that regarding the vandalism, the violence, the holding of that room, that, those individuals would be looked at regarding their status and what what was happening. And, I believe that is ongoing." She added that people arrested in the protest faced law enforcement action and that the building was reopened.
Why it matters: Reviews of visa status following campus protests raise questions about free expression, immigration enforcement and the circumstances under which the U.S. government may revoke or alter visas.
Tammy said actions will be taken against people who "do not follow our laws or affect the nature of what's important to our country when it comes to our foreign policy and national security." She did not give a tally of visa revocations or a timetable for the review.
Discussion vs. decisions: The briefing described an ongoing administrative review; no individual visa revocations were announced at the press briefing.
Context and next steps: Reporters were told the review is ongoing and that any decisions about visa status would follow the department’s process and be announced when appropriate.
