Mon Mar 31 12:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Fox & Friends Hosts Dismiss Concerns Over Trump-Era Visa Revocations Targeting Pro-Palestine Activists

**New York, NY** – A segment on Fox & Friends sparked controversy Friday after hosts downplayed concerns about the Trump administration’s revocation of student visas for individuals expressing pro-Palestine views. While co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy expressed some reservations about the potential chilling effect on free speech, her colleagues Brian Kilmeade and Lawrence Jones dismissed these concerns outright.

The discussion centered around the State Department’s “Catch and Revoke” program, which has reportedly led to the deportation of numerous students, including Rumeya Ozturk, a Tufts University doctoral student, and Kseniia Petrova, a Harvard research associate. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the revocations, stating that he had personally revoked “more than 300” visas.

Campos-Duffy voiced worry that the program could create a slippery slope, questioning the criteria for determining who should be deported and the potential message it sends to the world regarding American values of free speech. She highlighted the impact on students who self-deported out of fear, citing a Columbia student’s statement that the arrest of activist Mahmoud Khalil sent “shockwaves across the community.”

However, Kilmeade responded dismissively, stating he “didn’t care” about the chilling effect on free speech, arguing that those affected were not American citizens. Jones went further, expressing a desire to instill “chills” in those who criticize the U.S. or hold radical ties. He argued that foreign students are “visitors” who should “be on their best behavior.”

Kilmeade justified the visa revocations, claiming that individuals protesting the U.S. or its allies should face deportation. He cited examples of students removed from Tufts and Harvard, including Petrova, whose visa revocation was unrelated to political activism but rather to undeclared items in her luggage.

Despite Campos-Duffy’s lingering concerns and a report that the White House is considering blocking certain colleges from admitting foreign students, Kilmeade and Jones maintained their stance, emphasizing the importance of swiftly removing individuals deemed disruptive. The exchange highlights a sharp division within the conservative media on the balance between national security and freedom of speech.

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