Under President Trump’s second term, the administration has launched what it calls the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history. However, unlike past immigration crackdowns that focused on undocumented immigrants with criminal records, the current effort has widened to include legal immigrants, visa holders, and green card holders, many of whom have no criminal record.
Key Cases Highlighting the New Deportation Approach
1. Jasmine Mooney – Canadian Graduate Student
- Detained while trying to renew her student visa.
- Held in cold, harsh detention conditions for 12 days.
- Now back in Canada, banned from returning to the U.S. for five years.
2. Sylvia Muñoz – Peruvian Spouse of a U.S. Citizen
- Detained while returning from her honeymoon with her U.S. citizen husband.
- Husband Bradley Bartell received no updates for a week and didn’t know where she was.
- Still awaiting her court date; her husband considers leaving the U.S. if she’s deported.
3. Momodou Taal – U.K. & Gambian PhD Candidate at Cornell
- His student visa was revoked after speaking out in support of Palestine.
- He claims to have been targeted for political speech, not criminal activity.
- His current location is unknown as he avoids ICE detention.
Administration Justification
The Trump administration, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, says it is revoking student visas from individuals who support or show sympathy for designated terrorist organizations, such as Hamas (which is officially designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government). Rubio stated:
“Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visa. We gave you a visa to come and study, not to become a social activist.”
Over 300 student visas have already been revoked.
Legal and Constitutional Concerns
- Many of those affected have not been charged with any crimes.
- Immigration lawyers argue this effort is designed to scare immigrants into self-deporting, creating a chilling effect on political speech.
- Cases like Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian green card holder, and Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish PhD student, have raised concerns about due process violations, as they were moved across state lines despite court orders.
What Immigration Attorneys Are Saying
Jennifer Babaie from Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center states:
- Immigrants should not open the door without a judicial warrant.
- People with green cards are still being detained, especially if they’ve spoken out politically.
- Families are advised to prepare guardianship paperwork in case of detention.
- The community is in fear, uncertain if it’s safe to go to church, school, or report crimes.
Constitutional Rights at Risk
According to immigration attorneys:
- The First Amendment (freedom of speech) and Fourth & Fifth Amendments (protection from unlawful search and seizure) apply to everyone in the U.S., regardless of immigration status.
- However, current immigration enforcement is blurring those legal protections, especially when it comes to political expression.
While the administration claims national security as its motive, the scope and targets of the deportation campaign—especially students, activists, and green card holders—have sparked deep concern among legal experts, civil rights groups, and immigrant communities.
With reports of visa revocations tied to political views, critics warn that the U.S. is entering a period where legal status is not enough to guarantee safety, and freedom of speech may carry immigration consequences.
If you’d like a breakdown of current U.S. immigration laws, ICE procedures, or your constitutional rights as an immigrant, let me know!