Trump declares war on Columbia University, American bastion of progressivism

I don’t think they will be appeased by any changes in policy or pledges to do better,

said Ted Mitchell, the former president of Occidental College who now leads the American Council on Education, said of the Trump administration

Columbia continues to make every effort to ensure that our campus, students, faculty, and staff are safe,

Armstrong said in a statement

We are literally not hearing their voices. There is a silencing happening that has a huge impact on the vibrancy of higher education,

Dubal said

Many of our international students have felt afraid to come to classes and to events on campus,

said the statement signed by “The Faculty of Columbia Journalism School.”

Veena Dubalamerican law professor

Green-card-holding faculty members involved in any kind of advocacy that might be construed as not welcome by the Trump administration are absolutely terrified of the implications for their immigration status,

said Veena Dubal, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine

While international students and scholars have broad rights to freedom of speech and lawful assembly, please be aware that being arrested or detained by law enforcement may trigger current and/or future immigration consequences,

the school says on its website

Jelani Cobbwednesday,

Nobody can protect you, these are dangerous times,

the school’s dean, ... Jelani Cobb, said in a post Thursday on Bluesky explaining the comment

I feel like it’s not safe for me to share those things anymore because I have a fear that a quote-unquote ‘authoritarian regime’ is lurking over social media posts,

the student said

If the administration can do this to Mr. Khalil because of the speech about Palestine, it can do it to any non-U.S. citizen who takes a position on hot-button global issues, including the war between Russia and Ukraine, the tariffs imposed against U.S. allies or the rise of far-right political parties in Europe,

he said

Let me be clear: Hamas is a terrorist organization. It has the blood of American citizens on its hands,

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said during a speech to the Justice Department on Friday

We are also looking at whether Columbia's handling of earlier incidents violated civil rights laws and included terrorist crimes,

Blanche said

Just last night, we worked with the Department of Homeland Security to execute search warrants from an investigation into Columbia University for harboring and concealing illegal aliens on its campus,

Blanche said

It is very important to Mr. Khalil to be able to continue his protected political speech, advocating and protesting for the rights of Palestinians — both domestically and abroad,

the lawsuit said, noting that Khalil was planning to speak on a panel at the upcoming premiere in Copenhagen, Denmark, of a documentary in which he is featured

Jameel Jafferattorney with American Civil Liberties Union

The subjugation of universities to official power is a hallmark of autocracy. No one should be under any illusions about what’s going on here.”

Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, condemned the letter in a statement

I understand the immense stress our community is under,

she said

We expect your immediate compliance with these critical next steps, after which we hope to open a conversation about immediate and long-term structural reforms that will return Columbia to its original mission of innovative research and academic excellence,

the letter states

We expect your immediate compliance with these critical next steps,

officials from the Department of Education, ... General Services Administration, and Department of Health and Human Services wrote

History shows that a university that does not advocate for the academic freedom of its own members is opening itself to further attacks on academic freedom in the future,

said historian Eraldo Souza dos Santos, who is currently affiliated with Cornell University

Columbia is committed to enforcing the University’s Rules and Policies and improving our disciplinary processes,

the university said

Linda McMahonsecretary of Education

The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite US campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better.”

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon was quoted as saying in the missive