Earlier this week, we told you about Ron DeSantis promising to expel foreign students who protest on behalf of terrorist groups. One political pundit disagrees with this stance and his response is dividing Twitter.
Ron DeSantis’ Call to Deport Foreign Students Over Anti-Israel Views Is Un-Americanhttps://t.co/iwOPYOv4hw
— Brad Polumbo 🇺🇸⚽️🏳️🌈 (@brad_polumbo) October 27, 2023
“When the blood wasn’t even dry on the Israelis who had been massacred, you had people in America going out and protesting in favor of Hamas,” DeSantis recently said. “Some of these people are not U.S. citizens, so as president, if you're on a student visa and you’re a foreigner and you’re out there celebrating terrorism, I’m canceling your visa and I’m sending you home.”
There are some cases where the Supreme Court allowed immigrants to be deported because they were affiliated with groups that actively sought to violently overthrow the U.S. government. But that’s a fundamentally different situation than deporting someone for speech generically supporting violent acts overseas. That case also came before some relevant landmark decisions on what constitutes actual incitement to violence, and it’s not clear if the case would be decided the same way today.
So, legal immigrants have First Amendment rights. But what about these protests? The next question, according to Cohn, “is the speech protected by the First Amendment?”
Putting aside protesting on behalf of Hamas, which is the government of 'Palestine', is horrific behavior from any person, people studying in the US are here as guests and the government should have the ability to ask guests to go home for any reason.
⬇️ This is what defending free speech looks like. ⬇️ https://t.co/BYf1xaroqe
— Clint Olsen (@clintolsen) October 27, 2023
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While one tweep agreed with Brad, a whole lot did not, to say the least.
He used the EBT argument again…
— Jeremy Redfern (@JeremyRedfernFL) October 27, 2023
Brad’s opinion piece is so bad that he had to publish it in the *checks notes* Daily Beast. https://t.co/bRMTVBDthF pic.twitter.com/xWV0H0xd0S
This is not about “anti Israel views” but pro-terrorism. It is possible to criticize the government of Israel without supporting atrocities committed by terrorists against Israeli civilians. Students waving Taliban flags or lionizing the Hamas paragliders are not just criticizing… https://t.co/YYyJLC9K0V
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) October 27, 2023
Of course, the staff of Ron DeSantis disagrees with Brad, but both made great points refuting Brad's article.
It is revoking visas based on support for a terrorist organization. Which is 100% correct. And American. https://t.co/bXzb1sTwZr
— Stacey (@ScotsFyre) October 27, 2023
Correct! Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization. Period.
Nothing more tires, and then a modern libertarian.https://t.co/6jJsjcwRsL https://t.co/fDdGdHksEH
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) October 27, 2023
NARRATOR: No, it isn't. https://t.co/k1cSoHQogp
— RBe (@RBPundit) October 27, 2023
Legal argument aside, it is entirely absurd to characterize in a headline the sort of rhetoric DeSantis and others are referencing as anti-Israel. It is pro-terrorism. It is the glorification of slaughtered children. Let's at least be up front about that https://t.co/8lvKhAj8wM
— Collin Anderson (@CAndersonMO) October 27, 2023
Brad and The Daily Beast are clearly gaslighting people and are actually lying to people in his post and the article.
— Multi-Cultural Spox (@ztormtra) October 27, 2023
DeSantis is Anti-Hamas Terrorism and anyone here on a visa that promotes & supports Hamas or any terrorist organization should have their visa revoked. https://t.co/4xGNeW12Ft
While I’m full in on the first, student visas are approved based on a large number of gates, which include not supporting terrorism. The fact that these students who we allow into our country support Hamas and the destruction of Israel shows they don’t meet the approval criteria. https://t.co/rnR8rMqVdi
— Jon Leslie (@JonLeslieNH) October 27, 2023
Bingo! Students supporting terror or terrorist organizations lose their 'right' to study in this country. Full stop. There is no need to apologize for protecting our citizens and other students on campus.
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