Rep. Stefanik Demands Deportation of Foreign Student Protesters at Columbia University

Rep. Elise Stefanik, the House Republican Conference Chair, is urging the Biden administration to take action against foreign student protesters at Columbia University who she claims support terrorists. The demands come in response to recent campus demonstrations that have created a hostile environment for Jewish students.

According to Stefanik, the protesters have been heard chanting "Yahoodi [Jew], f— you" and threatening that "every day will be Oct. 7." While Columbia's president initially brought in the NYPD to address the situation, the "terrorist-glorifying protesters" have continued to disrupt the learning environment. Stefanik accuses the university of allowing this behavior to persist, stating that the anti-Israel organizers have "declared victory" while Columbia has failed to protect its Jewish community.

In response, Stefanik is calling on Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to penalize Columbia by revoking its federal funding. She has also requested that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick Garland use their agencies to revoke visas and deport international students involved in the protests. Stefanik claims that Columbia President Minouche Shafik has allowed the protesters to "further disrupt learning" by moving classes to a hybrid model.

Why this matters: The situation at Columbia University highlights the ongoing tensions between free speech, campus safety, and the protection of minority groups. The demands from Rep. Stefanik raise questions about the role of federal agencies in intervening in university affairs and the potential consequences for international students exercising their right to protest.

The Education Department has the authority to strip schools of federal funding for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on shared ancestry, ethnic characteristics, or national origin. Secretary Cardona has acknowledged the situation at Columbia and stated that his agency has launched an investigation. However, Rep. Stefanik is demanding immediate action and accountability, insisting that the university's failure to protect Jewish students warrants swift consequences.

As the protests continue, Columbia University has set a deadline for administrators and anti-Israel protesters to reach an agreement to end the encampment on campus. The university president initially set a midnight deadline for an agreement that must include dismantling the encampment, but the deadline was later extended to 48 hours. Demonstrators said they would not continue to negotiate without a written commitment that the administration will not use the NYPD or the National Guard on its students. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has condemned any police enforcement against the protesters as an "escalatory, reckless, and dangerous act."

Key Takeaways

• Rep. Stefanik urges action against foreign student protesters at Columbia University.
• Protesters accused of chanting anti-Semitic slogans and disrupting the learning environment.
• Stefanik calls for revoking Columbia's federal funding and deporting international students.
• Tensions between free speech, campus safety, and protection of minority groups.
• Columbia sets deadline for agreement to end protest encampment on campus.