By: Fern Sidman

The U.S. State Department has revoked between 200 and 300 student visas in 2025 on the grounds of support for terrorism, including direct ties to fundraising efforts for Hamas, according to a report that appeared on Wednesday at The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS). The measure reflects an increasingly stringent approach to monitoring the activities of foreign nationals studying in the United States, underscoring both the legal and national security dimensions of America’s immigration enforcement regime.

A senior State Department official, speaking to Fox News on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the revocations targeted individuals who had “engaged in behavior such as raising funds for the terrorist group Hamas.” In total, the Department has withdrawn more than 6,000 student visas this year, covering a range of infractions from overstaying authorized residency to more serious crimes such as terrorism support, burglary, assault, and driving under the influence.

The figures, subsequently confirmed to The Jewish News Syndicate by a State Department spokesperson, represent one of the most aggressive efforts in recent years to scrutinize the behavior of international students while residing in the country. Of those revoked, approximately 4,000 visas were tied to criminal offenses, while several hundred specifically concerned activities deemed supportive of terrorist organizations.

The State Department has long wielded broad authority to revoke visas when foreign nationals are found to pose security risks or violate U.S. laws. The decision to concentrate on cases involving links to Hamas reflects growing concerns in Washington about the infiltration of extremist ideologies into educational institutions.

According to the information provided in the JNS report, officials noted that the acts leading to revocation were not theoretical expressions alone but included documented efforts to raise or funnel money for proscribed groups. “Every single student visa revoked under the Trump Administration has happened because the individual has either broken the law or expressed support for terrorism while in the United States,” the unnamed official told Fox News.

The explicit mention of Hamas is particularly significant. The group, which the United States has designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization since 1997, has been at the center of heightened scrutiny since its October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel that left more than 1,200 dead and triggered a regional conflict. In that context, U.S. authorities are viewing even seemingly minor forms of material support or advocacy as red flags with national security implications.

The visa revocations have drawn sharp commentary from lawmakers who argue that the U.S. cannot afford leniency when it comes to foreign nationals expressing sympathy for or aiding terrorist causes.

“Foreigners that break the law or express support for terrorism have no business studying in the United States,” declared Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), as cited by JNS. Cotton, a frequent voice on national security issues, has long argued that America’s immigration system should prioritize strict vetting and expulsion of those who show hostility toward U.S. values.

Similarly, Representative Pat Fallon (R-Texas) stated unequivocally: “In no scenario should foreign students who support terrorism have visas to begin with. Studying in America is not a right, it’s a privilege.” His comments, amplified in the JNS report, underscore the sense in Congress that foreign students are guests whose presence is contingent on upholding the law.

Representative Jim Banks (R-Ind.) echoed this sentiment, writing, “If you’re a student here on a visa and you break our laws, you’re getting deported. Period.”

The rhetoric reflects a broader climate in which lawmakers, particularly Republicans, are emphasizing immigration enforcement as a core component of national security policy.

While the 200 to 300 cases linked to terrorism support are attracting the most attention, the revocation of more than 6,000 visas overall illustrates the breadth of violations under scrutiny. According to the State Department’s confirmation to JNS, around two-thirds of the total cases involved standard criminal violations. These included charges ranging from assault to burglary, with drunk driving (DUI) listed as another recurrent cause for termination of student status.

The willingness to publicize the terrorism-linked cases, however, demonstrates a deliberate strategy to reassure the public that federal agencies are actively policing potential extremist threats. It also serves as a warning to students currently enrolled in U.S. institutions that political activism perceived as sympathetic to terrorism will not be tolerated.

The revelations are also intensifying debate about the role of U.S. universities, which have become flashpoints in the broader discourse on terrorism, antisemitism, and free speech. Since Hamas’s October 7 attack, campuses across the country have witnessed an unprecedented surge in anti-Israel protests, some of which have crossed into rhetoric or actions interpreted as endorsements of terrorist violence.

As JNS has reported, incidents of harassment against Jewish students, disruptions of campus life, and calls for academic boycotts of Israel have put administrators on the defensive. For federal authorities, the overlap between campus activism and individuals holding student visas adds an additional layer of complexity, raising questions about how ideological expression shades into legally actionable support for terrorism.

By revoking visas on grounds of financial or material assistance to Hamas, the State Department is effectively drawing a line that distinguishes constitutionally protected speech from direct actions that breach U.S. law and security standards.

The Immigration and Nationality Act gives the executive branch expansive authority to revoke visas for reasons including criminal activity, immigration fraud, and ties to terrorism. Courts have historically upheld this discretion, particularly when national security is invoked.

According to the information contained in the JNS report, the current revocations fall well within established legal precedent. Individuals found to be raising money for Hamas, even if under the guise of humanitarian aid, are considered to be providing material support to a terrorist organization, a felony offense under U.S. law. This has been the basis for prosecutions in prior decades, most notably against charities and fundraising networks linked to Hamas or Hezbollah.

By taking action at the visa level, authorities can preempt prolonged investigations or prosecutions by simply removing the suspect individuals from U.S. soil. This approach is both efficient and politically defensible, given the sensitive climate surrounding terrorism threats.

The broader context for these developments is the alarming rise in antisemitism in the United States. As JNS has documented, hate crimes targeting Jewish communities surged after October 7, 2023, and remain at elevated levels in 2025. The convergence of anti-Israel activism with outright expressions of support for terrorist groups has exacerbated fears among Jewish students, faculty, and community members.

In that environment, the revelation that hundreds of foreign students were actively engaged in fundraising for Hamas or expressing support for terrorism has only reinforced calls for vigilance. For many Jewish leaders and advocacy groups, the visa revocations are not only a matter of law enforcement but also a necessary step to reassure vulnerable communities that the government is taking their concerns seriously.

Yet the debate is not without nuance. Some immigration advocates have expressed concern that aggressive visa revocations may inadvertently chill free expression or foster suspicion toward foreign students broadly. They argue that universities benefit from international diversity and that a sweeping association between student activism and terrorism risks stigmatizing innocent individuals.

Still, the prevailing political mood in Washington is tilted firmly toward enforcement. As the State Department emphasized to JNS, each revocation was based on either demonstrable criminal conduct or documented expressions of support for terrorism. In this framing, the policy is not a blunt instrument but a targeted response to clear violations.

The revocation of between 200 and 300 student visas for terrorism support this year signals a turning point in how the U.S. government polices the intersection of immigration, national security, and campus life. Backed by more than 6,000 total revocations for criminal or immigration-related offenses, the move highlights an era of heightened scrutiny and diminished tolerance for behavior deemed hostile to American law or values.

The policy sends a clear message: foreign students are welcome in the United States only insofar as they uphold the responsibilities that accompany their privileges. Those who engage in criminality or support for terrorism will be expelled without hesitation.

In the words of Senator Cotton, foreigners who break the law “have no business studying in the United States.” And as Representative Fallon emphasized, studying in America “is not a right, it’s a privilege.” Against the backdrop of rising antisemitism, ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and mounting security concerns at home, that principle now appears to be more firmly entrenched than ever before.