Liu Lijun, a Chinese doctoral student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), reportedly had her student visa cancelled for organising pro-Palestine rallies on campus.
Liu was detained in May 2024 following protests over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began on October 7, 2023.
According to the Telegraph India, Liu’s visa was revoked in reaction to an executive order announced by US President Donald Trump aimed at combating antisemitism in the wake of the dispute. The order addresses what the Trump administration describes as an increase in antisemitism on college campuses and in communities across the United States. One significant aspect of the directive threatens to suspend visas for international students engaged in pro-Palestinian action, particularly those linked to Hamas.
Liu’s is one of the first cases of visa revocation under the new policy. The executive order orders federal departments, including Education, State, and Homeland Security, to produce suggestions for monitoring and reporting on the activities of foreign students and workers participating in such rallies. Furthermore, within 60 days, these agencies must give the White House with recommendations on legal measures for combating antisemitism.
Liu was among hundreds of UCLA students who demonstrated against Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The protests erupted in early May 2024, when law authorities stormed a solidarity campground with almost 400 protestors. According to protest organisers, the raid harmed over 100 people, some of whom required hospital treatment. Police used flash bangs and batons to disperse the throng.
President Trump’s decision to suspend Liu’s visa is consistent with his overall efforts to curtail pro-Palestinian activism, particularly among international students. He referred to individuals who participated in such protests as “resident aliens” and warned that they could be deported by 2025. This has generated fears that the order’s broad language could be used to punish students who participate in peaceful protests without breaching the law.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has slammed the executive order, claiming that it violates First Amendment rights. CAIR emphasised the significance of maintaining free speech, stressing that such rights should not be jeopardised by executive action.
