Middle East Studies Association

Academics & Education

State Department official defends canceling visas of pro-Palestinian academics The official testified at an ongoing trial that Trump’s deportation drive targets antisemitism and support for terrorism, not ideology or speech.

July 11, 2025   

(Politico) A top State Department official vigorously defended the Trump administration’s drive to cancel the visas of pro-Palestinian academics, arguing that the effort does not abridge free speech and targets students who are supporting terrorism or promoting antisemitism. John Armstrong, State’s top […]

Academics & Education

Trump officials used shadowy website to target pro-Palestinian academics for deportation, court records show The unsealed court records also reveal how deeply involved Trump aide Stephen Miller was in the effort to revoke the visas of pro-Palestinian academics.

July 9, 2025 and   

(Politico) As the Trump administration identified pro-Palestinian academics to target for deportation, it relied heavily on an anonymously-run pro-Israel website that has been criticized for doxxing, according to newly unsealed court documents and testimony at an ongoing trial. To support President Donald […]

Academics & Education

Trump admin waffles in court on whether pro-Palestinian foreigners have full First Amendment rights It’s a central question in the first major trial of Trump’s second term.

July 7, 2025   

(Politico) A trial on a First Amendment lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s drive to deport pro-Palestinian academics quickly confronted a thorny legal issue Monday: whether foreigners in the U.S. enjoy the same free speech rights as American citizens. The administration’s stance on […]

Academics & Education

Trump’s effort to deport pro-Palestinian activists goes to trial The case challenging the administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian academics marks the first major trial of Trump’s second term.

July 6, 2025 and   

(Politico) At least five times in recent weeks, federal judges have forcefully rejected President Donald Trump’s efforts to deport pro-Palestinian student activists, issuing one stinging ruling after another to declare the efforts unconstitutional — with one judge comparing the deportation drive to […]

Academics & Education

CAIR says Hamline University teacher is not Islamophobic The statement comes after CAIR's Minnesota chapter said the classroom viewing of a painting of the Prophet Muhammad was bigoted and disrespectful.

January 13, 2023   

(Religion News) The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a statement Friday (Jan. 13), saying an art history instructor at Hamline University did not act with bigoted intent when she showed a 14th-century painting of the Prophet Muhammad in a class last semester. […]