The U.S. Justice Department has launched an investigation into Columbia University, suspecting that the institution may have concealed undocumented immigrants on its campus. This development comes as the Trump administration ramps up its efforts to deport foreigners who were involved in pro-Palestinian protests at the university last year.
Homeland Security agents executed a search warrant on two university residences Thursday evening. While no arrests were made, the authorities have not disclosed whom they were seeking. By Friday, officials reported progress related to two individuals linked to the protests.
One of those individuals includes an Indian doctoral student at Columbia, who had her visa revoked by the administration and subsequently fled the U.S. Another individual, a Palestinian woman detained during the university protests in April, was apprehended in Newark, New Jersey, for overstaying her visa.
During a press briefing, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche highlighted the administrationโs commitment to combating antisemitism. He confirmed the collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security to search for evidence at Columbia University regarding the concealment of illegal immigrants. Blanche also alluded to potential civil rights and terrorism violations connected to the schoolโs previous actions but did not provide detailed evidence against the university.
Following the searches, Columbia Universityโs interim president Katrina Armstrong expressed shock at the federal agentsโ presence on campus. She reassured the school community of Columbiaโs dedication to upholding legal standards while maintaining an environment where knowledge and diversity are valued.
In recent weeks, Columbia has faced significant pressure from federal authorities, resulting in the cancellation of $400 million in government grants. This action was reportedly due to the schoolโs insufficient response to student and faculty protests against Israelโs military activities in Gaza. The Trump administration accused these protests of being sympathetic toward Hamas, the militant group responsible for an attack on Israel earlier this month.
In response, the administration issued ultimatums to Columbia, ranging from modifying its admissions process to adopting a new definition of antisemitism. It also demanded changes in faculty control over certain study departments and the adoption of strict measures against organized campus protests.
Nevertheless, participants of last yearโs protests maintain that their actions were focused on Palestinian rights and were not antisemitic in nature. However, some Jewish students and faculty reported feeling unsafe due to the rhetoric used in the demonstrations.
The campus has been embroiled in turmoil since the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a key figure in organizing the protests. The administration also revoked the visa of another Indian student, Ranjani Srinivasan, claiming she advocated for violence, though no evidence was provided. Srinivasan has since left the U.S., refuting the allegations and stating that she was not involved in the protests.
In addition, the Department of Homeland Security accused Srinivasan of not disclosing certain protest-related legal summonses on her visa renewal application. She disputed this, saying she wasnโt actively participating in the protests and that her legal case was dismissed.
In another case, Leqaa Kordia, apprehended in Newark, faced charges for overstaying a visa, although Columbia stated she had never been registered as a student. The university clarified that arrests were made outside its campus. Kordia, who had her visa expired due to poor attendance, is currently held in a detention facility in Texas.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that additional student visa revocations are anticipated in the coming days as the investigation and fallout continue to unfold.