On January 29, former U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order vowing to deport non-citizen college students and others who participated in pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. campuses in 2024, citing the move as a response to what he called a surge in anti-Semitism.

Trump’s order drew condemnation from a number of rights groups and legal experts, who said the new measure would violate constitutional free speech rights and likely draw legal challenges.

Many pro-Palestinian protesters have rejected claims that they support Hamas or that their actions are anti-Semitic acts, stating that their demonstrations were against Israel's 15-month military assault on Gaza, which has killed more than 47,400 people since October 7, 2024.