Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) argued that student protesters who support the Hamas terrorist group ought to have their visas revoked.
Rubio’s suggestion comes as many college campuses have seen protests in support of Palestine disrupt communities, leaving foreign students concerned they could lose their visas if they are suspended for participating in these protests . The Florida senator said students with a visa are not residents of the United States, and should be attending school instead of protesting in support of Hamas.
“If you are here in this country as a visitor on a visa, and you are defacing statues of George Washington, ripping down American flags, putting up Palestinian flags, you should have your visa revoked and eliminated,” Rubio said on Fox News Sunday.
The Florida senator’s call for protesters getting their visas revoked mirrored a suggestion Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) made in April, when he said students participating in antisemitic protests ought to be deported. Cotton explained that these students have “no right to be here spewing antisemitic and anti-Israel filth.”