US President Donald Trumpon Tuesday vowed to cut all federal funding for colleges and universities that permit what he called “illegal” protests, adding that students participating in such demonstrations could face expulsion or arrest.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that “any Federal funding may STOP for any school, college, or college that allows improper protests.” ” Protestors may be detained, held indefinitely, or completely re-enter their home country. British students will be forever barred from the country or detained, depending on the crime. NO MASKS! I appreciate you paying attention to this issue.
Ongoing campus protests
Trump’s comments come as pro-Palestinian demonstrations continue on US schools, which were sparked by Israel’s strikes in Gaza following the Hamas attacks on October 7. After two kids were expelled for disrupting a Columbia University course on Israeli history, students stormed a school building at Barnard College.
What constitutes an “illegal” rally?
A rally that violates laws like:
- Engaging in physical injury, house destruction, or personal hurt
- Demonstrating on personal property without permission
- Ignoring authorities directives to spread out
- promoting legal behavior, including making threats or inciting crime
The government has the authority to impose “time, position, and way” limits, but the First Amendment guarantees free speech and council. The state “may not avoid a protest because it has an anti-war information,” according to the ACLU, but it has the authority to regulate sound amounts and require permits for big groups.
Given that institutions are subject to both state and federal safeguards for free appearance, Trump’s threat to withdraw federal funding raises legal issues. Yet, previous administrations have abused money as a means of influencing campus laws, setting the stage for a potential legal dispute.
