US protest crackdown signals a wider threat to Western activism

In a time of protest crackdown by governments, the Trump administration is cranking up its suppression of protests with its recent revoking of visas for foreign students.

According to Inside Higher Ed an outlet reporting on higher education and a subsidiary of Times Higher Education, over 300 students in America have had their legal status changed by the new administration.

The reason behind the status change is for being involved in student-led protests such as pro-Palestine or for ‘minor crimes’.

Those who have their visas revoked for involvement in protesting have been labelled by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, as “lunatics”.

Rubio further went on to explain that foreign students were entering the country “not just to study but to participate in movements that vandalise universities, harass students, take over buildings and cause chaos.”

The scary side of this situation is the lack of clarity which is being offered to the students. Speaking to the Financial Times, The Non-Profit Association of International Educators explained that the visa alterations are “at an unprecedented level and it’s quite concerning because there is a lack of clarity which is creating anxiety.”

Such a case occurred when in March Syrian-born Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate of Columbia University, was arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The arrest occurred for his involvement in a university pro-Palestine demonstration in April of 2024. Khalil has not been charged with any crimes. However, he was arrested for being a “threat to US foreign policy” simply for endorsing Palestine.

Rubio and the new government have made it very clear that their administration will not stand for disruption and voice of these so-called “lunatics” (student protestors).

The Trump administration is looking to curb protests in general with constitutionally peaceful protests not being exempt from this administration’s views.

In just the first three months of 2025, the Trump administration brought in 79% of the total anti-protest bills which were introduced in 2024.

This tally includes 32 bills over 16 states since Trump returned to office, per the Guardian. These bills aim to hit college students and anti-war protesters with severe punishments such as prison and high fines.

This crackdown on protest rights extends well beyond American borders, with similar patterns emerging in several democratic nations around the world.

While the United States implements these measures through visa revocations and anti-protest legislation, European democracies are employing their own methods to restrict demonstrations.

Just in March, we saw the process of deportation for four EU citizens from Germany without a hearing or formal trial for taking part in a pro-Palestine protest in Berlin.

The trend of suppressing protest rights is not limited to actions against foreign nationals or specific causes like pro-Palestine activism. Even more alarming examples of protest suppression can be seen in countries where democratic institutions themselves are under threat.

On March 26th, political activism in Turkey saw over 1,000 people detained for antigovernment protests against the arrest of President Erdogan’s main political rival.

From North America to Europe to the Middle East, a disturbing pattern emerges: governments across the political spectrum are finding new legal and administrative tools to silence dissent and limit citizens’ ability to demonstrate their beliefs.

We are now seeing deportation, visa removal and detainment in some of the most ‘progressive’ and ‘free’ countries in the world.

The right to protest may be under more threat than it has ever been in recent times.

Inside Higher Ed, Financial Times, Guardian, Maghrebi.org