AI News Monitor

Critics warn that the program could set a dangerous precedent for the erosion of civil liberties in the name of national security.

The U.S. State Department is reportedly using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and revoke visas of foreign students whose social media activity is perceived as supportive of Hamas, according to a report by Axios. The initiative, part of a broader effort to combat antisemitism, has raised concerns among civil rights advocates about potential overreach, misidentification, and violations of free speech.

The move follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January 2025 aimed at addressing antisemitism and cracking down on non-citizens who participate in pro-Palestinian protests. These demonstrations have surged across U.S. college campuses in response to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Under the new AI-driven program, the State Department will conduct reviews of tens of thousands of student visa holders’ social media accounts, using algorithms to flag posts deemed supportive of Hamas. Officials will also cross-reference news reports of past protests and lawsuits filed by Jewish students alleging antisemitism by foreign nationals.

While some pro-Palestinian groups are Jewish and many protesters have explicitly denounced both antisemitism and Hamas, the protests have occasionally been marred by incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia. Critics argue that the use of AI for surveillance could lead to errors, misidentifications, and privacy violations.

“This should concern all Americans. This is a First Amendment and freedom of speech issue, and the administration will overplay its hand,” said Abed Ayoub, executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. “Americans won’t like this. They’ll view this as capitulating free speech rights for a foreign nation.”

The State Department is collaborating with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security on the initiative, though none of the agencies have issued an official statement.

President Trump has also threatened to cut federal funding to educational institutions that allow what he describes as “illegal protests.” In a statement on Tuesday, he warned, “Agitators will be imprisoned or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or … arrested.”

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has condemned the administration’s approach, calling it a threat to constitutional rights. On Tuesday, the ACLU published an open letter urging colleges and universities to resist federal pressure to surveil or punish international students and faculty involved in campus protests.

“It is disturbing to see the White House threatening freedom of speech and academic freedom on U.S. college campuses so blatantly,” said Cecillia Wang, legal director of the ACLU and co-author of the letter. “Trump’s latest coercion campaign, attempting to turn university administrators against their own students and faculty, harkens back to the McCarthy era and is at odds with American constitutional values and the basic mission of universities.”

The U.S. government has designated Hamas as a “foreign terrorist organization.” Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli officials. Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza has resulted in over 48,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza authorities, and has displaced nearly the entire population. The conflict has sparked global outcry, with accusations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel denies.

As the debate over free speech, surveillance, and foreign policy intensifies, the use of AI to monitor and penalize students based on their social media activity is likely to face significant legal and ethical challenges. Critics warn that the program could set a dangerous precedent for the erosion of civil liberties in the name of national security.