Trump Intensifies Crackdown on Pro-Palestinian Activism, Investigates Columbia University
The US Justice Department said on Friday it was investigating potential violations of terrorism laws during protests over the Gaza war at Columbia University, escalating pressure on what was a focal point of last year’s nationwide anti-Israel activism.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the probe was part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to combat “antisemitism”, describing it as an overdue response to campus demonstrations.
Civil rights advocates criticized the move, arguing that the protests were protected under the First Amendment, which guarantees free speech.
The announcement is the latest indication that the Trump administration is not relenting in its efforts to curtail pro-Palestinian student activism and university policies it claims foster antisemitism.
The administration has informed Columbia that it must implement a series of policy changes before discussions can begin on reinstating $400 million in federal funding that was suspended last week.
According to a letter sent on Thursday, the demands coincided with federal agents searching two dormitory rooms at Columbia’s New York campus. The searches followed the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of last year’s protests, by immigration authorities in an attempt to deport him—a move currently blocked by a federal court.
Earlier this week, the Department of Education announced investigations into 60 schools over allegations they permitted a hostile environment for Jewish students. On Friday, it said it was also reviewing complaints against 45 universities accused of using race-based criteria in a diversity program, which it argued violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Federal Agents Search Dorms
The campus demonstrations that prompted the federal crackdown began in response to the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. Protesters called for Columbia to divest from Israeli-linked investments and urged the US to halt military aid to Israel.
The Trump administration has accused Columbia of failing to adequately respond to the prolonged encampments on campus and the brief occupation of a university building.
Columbia has defended its actions, stating it is committed to combating antisemitism while also resisting claims from civil rights groups that it is allowing government overreach into academic freedoms.
Brian Hauss, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union and a member of Khalil’s legal team, criticized the Justice Department’s probe.
“The First Amendment does not provide grounds to conflate pro-Palestinian activism with support for Hamas,” he said during a briefing.
Columbia’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, confirmed that agents from the Department of Homeland Security conducted the dormitory searches under warrants issued by a federal magistrate. She said no individuals were detained, no items were seized, and no further action was taken.
Blanche stated the searches were part of an investigation into whether the university was sheltering individuals in the country illegally.
Students have reported frequent sightings of federal immigration agents at dormitories and housing facilities around Columbia’s Manhattan campus.
Administration’s Demands
In its letter to Columbia, the Trump administration outlined several conditions, including a requirement for the university to formally define antisemitism, prohibit the use of masks to conceal identity or intimidate, and place its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies departments under “academic receivership,” which would remove control from faculty members.
The administration also demanded that Columbia revise its admissions and international recruitment policies to comply with federal law but did not provide specific details.
Columbia said it was reviewing the letter.
“We remain committed to advancing our mission, supporting our students, and addressing all forms of discrimination and hatred on campus,” the university said in a statement.
The university also announced disciplinary actions this week, including suspensions, expulsions, and degree revocations for students involved in last spring’s building occupation. However, it did not disclose the names or number of students affected.
As hundreds of Khalil’s supporters gathered at Columbia’s main gate on Friday, a graduate student who identified himself only as Demetri described the atmosphere on campus as grim.
“The federal government shouldn’t dictate what and whom a university teaches, or who can and cannot be admitted,” he said.
