Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to suspend all federal funds at universities and schools that allow “illegal protests” and to jail “asgitators.”
“All federal funds will be suspended for universities, schools or universities that allow illegal protests,” the US president wrote about the true society.
“Agitators will be imprisoned or sent back to the country they came to forever. American students will be expelled forever or arrested for crimes. There are no masks! Thank you for being aware of this issue.”
In a statement Tuesday, the Foundation for Personal Rights and Expression (fire) condemned Trump’s comments.
“Today’s message will bring unacceptable cold to students’ protests about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the group added. We do not use the law to punish our opponents. ”
Although Trump did not identify what constituted the “illegal” protest, the threat comes a day after his administration announced the review and announced that it could subtract more than $50 million in a government contract from Columbia University over “continuous omissions in the face of merciless harassment of Jewish students.”
Over 100 students were arrested and suspended last year in Colombia’s protests over the Gaza Strip bombing. Last month, Bernard University, which is affiliated with Columbia, expelled two students who confused a class called “The History of Modern Israel.”
The government’s task force also reviewed more than $5 billion in its grant commitment to Colombia and said it “ensures that the university complies with federal regulations, including civil rights liability.”
Since protests broke out on campus last year, Republicans have frequently framed demonstrations against Israeli actions in Gaza as a voice of support for Hamas, and it was revealed last fall that top Republicans threatened to withdraw billions of dollars in federal funds from some of America’s most well-known universities.
Monday’s announcement was made by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education and the U.S. Office of General Services.
In a news release that accompanied it, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of Health and Human Services, said “anti-Semitism, like racism, is a spiritual and moral illness that makes society sick and kills deadly people comparable to the deadliest plague of history.
“In recent years, the censorship and false narratives of the cancel culture that woke up have transformed our great university into a greenhouse due to this deadly and toxic epidemic,” Kennedy said. “Making America healthy means building a community of trust and mutual respect based on freedom of speech and open discussion.”
In response, Colombia said “we are completely committed to combating anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination, and we have no place in our university to promote, promote or glorify violence and fear.” The school added, “We look forward to continuing work with the new federal government to combat anti-Semitism, and we will continue to make every effort to ensure the safety and welfare of our students, teachers and staff.”
Last spring, Columbia University was widely viewed as the center of student-led protests against the war in Gaza. This is part of a widespread demonstration of war in the US and international universities.
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Colombian students organized protests, made sit-ins, set up campuses, occupying buildings, and ending US support for Israel and the university’s withdrawal from businesses with Israeli ties. The protests led to mass arrests and student suspensions, leading to the resignation of university president Minush Shafik in the fall.
The university faced criticism of its tactics against protesters and was accused of making Jewish students feel safe on campus.
In January, Trump signed an executive order claiming he would “fight anti-Semitism.” The fact sheet issued in the signature of the order cited the president saying that he would cancel student visas for foreign students identified as “Hamas sympathizers” and deport those who participated in “pro-jihadist protests.”
The executive order was quickly filled with backlash from a free-speaking organisation warning that lawsuits against legal protests would violate the US Constitution.
At the time, the fire said “if today’s executive order goes beyond illegal activities and instead punishes students for protest or expression protected by the first amendment, it should be withdrawn.”
Protests on campus have declined in recent months, but last week, demonstrations broke out in New York. They responded to New York Governor Kathy Hochul to order the City University of New York (CUNY) to remove jobs promoting the role of Palestinian research professor, and to expel two students from Bernard University, which suspended classes in Israel last month.
A third Bernard student has been reportedly expelled in connection with the occupation of Hamilton Hall in Columbia since last spring.
