Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a sharp warning to foreign nationals concerned about travel to the U.S., making it clear that those with peaceful intentions have nothing to fear—unless they plan to support Hamas or stir domestic unrest. Speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Friday, Rubio responded to a question about heightened deportation measures under President Donald Trump’s January executive order.
The policy aims to deny entry to foreign nationals who support terrorism, promote radical ideologies, or abuse U.S. immigration laws. Since its implementation, over 300 foreign student visas have been revoked.
Rubio dismissed claims that visitors might be unfairly detained, stating, “If you’re not coming to the United States to join a Hamas protest or to… stir up conflict on our campuses and create riots in our streets… then you have nothing to worry about.” He emphasized that individuals are only flagged upon entry when concerns exist and noted that “thousands” enter daily without incident.
The Secretary made clear that the U.S. will no longer tolerate foreign nationals using student visas as a shield for extremist activity. “We’re not going to continue to be stupid enough to let people into our country who are coming here to tear things up,” Rubio added.
The crackdown follows several arrests of foreign nationals linked to anti-Israel protests and support for Hamas, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. In one high-profile case, Turkish national Rumesya Ozturk, a Tufts University graduate student, was detained by ICE near her campus. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed she was “engaged in activities in support of Hamas,” which includes inciting violence and promoting anti-American ideology.
The Trump administration’s directive explicitly states its goal is to shield American citizens from foreign individuals who threaten national security or align with terrorist groups.
