In a significant move amidst rising tensions over antisemitism on college campuses, the Trump administration has proposed a legally binding consent decree for Columbia University. This agreement seeks to impose federal oversight on the university's handling of antisemitism, as reported by the Wall Street Journal on May 6, 2025.
The proposed consent decree would mandate court-monitored reforms, specifically barring Columbia from considering race in its admissions process and requiring the institution to promote viewpoint diversity among faculty members. These measures come in response to heightened scrutiny of the university following the suspension of $400 million in federal funding in March over alleged civil rights violations.
Columbia's board of trustees is reportedly at a crossroads, deliberating whether to accept the proposal. If the university chooses to reject it, the Justice Department may pursue legal action that could lead to stricter oversight conditions. Columbia's acting president, Claire Shipman, has vocalized the university's stance, stating that any plan undermining its independence would be firmly rejected. Shipman characterized the reported proposal as “based entirely on hearsay,” reflecting the university's commitment to maintaining its autonomy.
Consent decrees are not common in the educational sector but have been employed in significant government cases, including police reform and corporate mergers. The implications of such a decree could reshape the landscape of university governance and civil rights compliance.
Simultaneously, a federal appellate panel on the same day is set to hear high-profile cases concerning two international students, Rumeysa Ozturk and Mohsen Mahdawi, who are facing removal from the U.S. after making statements critical of Israel. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit will consider emergency appeals from the Trump administration following decisions made by two federal judges in favor of the students.
Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral candidate at Tufts University, was detained after the Trump administration revoked her student visa on March 25, 2025. According to court records, she was not informed of her visa revocation prior to her arrest. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that numerous students have had their visas rescinded under similar circumstances, particularly those accused of expressing support for Palestinians or participating in protests.
Ozturk co-authored an editorial in the Tufts student newspaper, criticizing the university for dismissing resolutions aimed at holding Israel accountable for violations of international law. The memo from a senior official in the State Department cited her involvement in associations that could undermine U.S. foreign policy and create a hostile environment for Jewish students.
After her arrest, Ozturk was transported through various locations before ending up at an immigration facility in Louisiana. Her legal team filed a petition challenging her detention, arguing that it violated her First and Fifth Amendment rights. U.S. District Judge William Sessions recognized significant constitutional concerns regarding her detention and ordered her transfer to ICE custody in Vermont, setting a bail hearing for May 9, 2025.
In contrast, Mahdawi, who is set to graduate from Columbia with a degree in philosophy this month, was detained during what he believed was a citizenship interview in Vermont. Born in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Mahdawi has held a green card for the past decade and co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia. His attorneys argued that his detention was a strategic move by federal officials to silence dissent against U.S. foreign policy.
Mahdawi's situation is compounded by the recent arrest of Khalil, a Palestinian activist and fellow Columbia student, who was also involved in protests on campus. Mahdawi described his detention as a “honey trap,” suggesting that federal immigration officials lured him into a situation where he could be detained under the guise of a citizenship process.
The Trump administration's crackdown on universities and students involved in pro-Palestinian protests has intensified following Hamas' attack on Israel, which has further complicated the political landscape surrounding these cases. President Trump signed an executive order in January 2025, empowering his administration to utilize all available legal tools to address what he termed unlawful antisemitic harassment and violence. This directive includes the potential deportation of individuals deemed to be sympathizers of Hamas and the revocation of student visas.
As the 2nd Circuit deliberates on Ozturk and Mahdawi's appeals, the outcomes may set precedents for how similar cases are handled in the future. The implications of these legal battles extend beyond the individual students involved, potentially affecting broader discussions on free speech, academic freedom, and the rights of international students in the United States.
With both the consent decree for Columbia University and the appellate hearings for Ozturk and Mahdawi unfolding simultaneously, the intersection of education, immigration, and civil rights remains a focal point of national debate. The outcomes of these situations could have lasting effects on university policies and the treatment of students who engage in political discourse on campus.
As the situation develops, the university community and civil rights advocates will be closely monitoring the decisions made by both the board of trustees at Columbia and the federal courts, recognizing that these issues are emblematic of larger societal challenges regarding freedom of expression and the protection of minority rights.
