LAST UPDATE | 15 Apr

STUDENTS GOING TO the United States on J1 visas have been warned of the “potential risks” of being involved in activism while abroad.

The advice was issued by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), which strongly condemns “any attempt to restrict the rights of Irish students on J1 visas to engage in activism, including support for the Middle East”.

It comes as a number of students without US citizenship were arrested and threatened with deportationafter taking part in pro-Palestine protests at universities.

The J1 visa is a cultural exchange programme that allows students to work and travel during their summer holidays.

In a statement, the USI said: “Any actions that threaten students’ ability to freely express their views are deeply concerning and undermine the principles of free speech and democratic engagement.

“At the same time, we urge students to be cautious and informed about the potential risks involved in activism while on a J1 visa.

“While activism is a vital part of student life and a right that should be protected, it is important that students fully understand the possible consequences for their visa status, including the risk of deportation, and take steps to safeguard their participation in such activities.”

The union called on both the US and Irish authorities to provide clarity on these issues, so that Irish students can be fully aware of their rights and responsibilities ahead of the summer. 

Speaking today, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that although it is important to be aware of what is going on within any country that people are travelling to, “most people who go on their J1 are not that focused on activism”.

“I think we need to keep everything in perspective,” Martin said.

“I mean, most are out there to work, to get experience, to enjoy the United States, and that’s perspective we need to keep on this.

“Obviously, in any country, you’re going to need to understand what’s going on within the country at any given time and adapt accordingly.”

‘Suppress dissent’

An American immigration judge ruled last week that a pro-Palestinian student protester, a US permanent resident detained by the Trump administration, could be deported.

Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and a prominent face of the protest movement that erupted in response to Israel’s war in Gaza, is married to a US citizen.

He was arrested and taken to Louisiana, sparking protests. Several other foreign student protesters have been similarly targeted.

Khalil’s attorney said they’re seeing their “worst fears play out”.

“Mahmoud was subject to a charade of due process, a flagrant violation of his right to a fair hearing, and a weaponisation of immigration law to suppress dissent.”

In a letter to the court, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted that Khalil’s activism could hurt Washington’s foreign policy.

But he declined to argue formally that the Algeria-born Palestinian student was Hamas-aligned, as officials have told journalists.

The undated letter instead referred to Khalil’s “participation and roles” in allegedly “anti-Semitic protests and disruptive activities which fosters a hostile environment for Jewish students in the United States.”

It made no reference to any alleged crime.

Mohsen Mahdawi, the co-founder of a Palestinian student group at Columbia with Khalil, was detained as he attended an interview to become an American citizen.

A judge issued a temporary restraining order barring authorities from deporting Mahdawi or moving him out of Vermont “pending further order” from the court, a court filing showed.

Immigration officers have similarly detained and sought to deport a Tufts University student from Turkey, Rumeysa Ozturk, and Columbia student Yunseo Chung who is a US permanent resident originally from South Korea.

Their deportations have also been blocked for now by courts.

With reporting by © AFP 2025 and Press Association