Behind the Bastards: How ICE Is Targeting Students for Deportation

Episode Release Date: April 4, 2025
Host/Author: Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts

In the gripping episode titled "How ICE Is Targeting Students for Deportation," hosts Garrison Davis and James Stout delve deep into the troubling trend of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) focusing on students, scholars, and professors in the United States for deportation. This comprehensive summary captures the key discussions, insights, and conclusions drawn throughout the episode.

1. Introduction to ICE's Targeting of Academic Community

Garrison Davis sets the stage by introducing the main topic:

Garrison Davis [00:32]: "Today I'm joined by James Stout. This episode is going to be about ICE actions against students, scholars, and professors around the country and this wave of deportations targeting people engaged in pro Palestine speech protest, as well as some individuals who have been roped up in this new wave of deportations who have not publicly engaged in Palestine activism."

2. Case Study: Mahmoud Khalil

The episode begins with the alarming case of Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University, illustrating ICE's aggressive tactics.

• Incident Details:
  • Date: Evening of Saturday, March 8th.
  • Event: Plainclothes ICE agents followed Khalil and his wife into their campus apartment building.
  • Arrest: Khalil was detained for unclear reasons, and his pregnant wife, an American citizen, was threatened with arrest.

Garrison Davis [00:32 - 02:03]: Describes how ICE agents used Khalil's green card against him, despite his status as a permanent resident, citing a rarely used Cold War-era immigration statute.

• Legal Implications:
  • Statute Used: Allows the Secretary of State to deport non-citizens if deemed a "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequence."

James Stout [01:40]: "The Trump administration has been very, very good at finding very obscure pieces of law that it can wield against migrants."

3. Broader Pattern of Targeting

The discussion expands to include other affected individuals, highlighting the systematic nature of these deportations.

• Rajani Srinivasan:
  • Status: PhD student at Columbia University.
  • Incident: ICE agents attempted to arrest her following a visa revocation notice.
  • Outcome: Forced to flee to Canada after the second visit by ICE agents.

James Stout [05:26]: "Self deportation is definitely one of their goals. They talked about it before Trump even came into power."

• Yung Sao Chung:
  • Status: Permanent resident from South Korea.
  • Incident: Received misleading communications leading to ICE's revocation of her residency.
  • Outcome: Went into hiding and is currently fighting deportation in court.

Garrison Davis [02:03 - 06:40]: Details ICE's persistent efforts despite Chung's permanent residency status.

4. Use of Doxing Organizations

The episode sheds light on how non-governmental organizations like Canary Mission and Batar collaborate with ICE to identify targets.

• Canary Mission:
  • Role: Collects and publishes information on individuals accused of anti-Israel activism.
  • Examples: Profiles Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeza Ozturk, leading to their arrests.

Garrison Davis [27:53]: "Canary Mission has been collecting and publishing personal information of people they accuse of promoting hatred of the United States, Israel, and Jews."

• Batar:
  • Description: A far-right, pro-Israel doxing group listed as an extremist organization by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
  • Impact: Provides ICE with lists of individuals, including students like Mamadou Tal and Mahmoud Khalil, for deportation.

Garrison Davis [29:20]: "Batar says that they have given the Trump administration a deportation list of thousands of names."

5. Social Media Screening and Enhanced Vetting

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the State Department's new directives to intensify social media vetting of visa applicants.

• Directive Details:
  • Title: Enhanced Screening and Social Media Vetting for Visa Applicants.
  • Scope: Applies to FMNJ visas, including student exchange, academic, and vocational visas.
  • Criteria: Officers must search for evidence of advocating or supporting terrorist activities or hostile conduct towards U.S. citizens.

Garrison Davis [17:49]: "The directive cites two executive orders from Trump... protecting the United States from foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats."

• Implications:
  • Broad Definitions: Terms like "anti-American ideologies" are defined so broadly that any criticism of U.S. institutions could be grounds for denial or revocation.

James Stout [19:01]: "Yes, the anti-American ideologies, again, is just vastly broad, right?"

• Technological Integration: Possible use of AI to conduct exhaustive social media searches on applicants.

Garrison Davis [19:19]: "They are probably going to use some AI system for this, as they've already kind of used more primitive versions."

6. University Responses and Student Advisories

Universities are depicted as frontline responders, attempting to protect their international students amid escalating ICE actions.

• Southern Illinois University:
  • Action: Issued advisories to students to carry immigration documents and exercise caution on social media.

Garrison Davis [35:36]: "The school's Director of International Student and Scholar Services sent an email advising students to carry photocopies of immigration documents."

• University of Minnesota and Southern Illinois University:
  • Situations: Both faced ICE raids without prior knowledge or collaboration, leading to fear and uncertainty among student bodies.

James Stout [35:32]: "And they are providing like legal resources to these students, but they're essentially saying like you shouldn't post anything or do any protests because then ICE might come kidnap you."

7. Ongoing Legal Battles and Judicial Interventions

Several deportation cases are highlighted where courts have intervened to halt ICE's aggressive actions.

• Yung Sao Chung:
  • Court Action: Federal judge granted a temporary restraining order preventing her deportation.

Garrison Davis [07:20]: "A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order halting efforts from ICE to detain or relocate Chung."

• Mamadou Tal:
  • Status: Despite legal challenges, Tal opted for self-deportation, expressing distrust in the judicial system's ability to protect him.

Garrison Davis [13:53]: "Tal released a statement... I have lost faith that a favorable ruling from the courts would guarantee my personal safety and ability to express my beliefs."

8. The Role of Government Officials and Public Statements

The episode critically examines the rhetoric used by government officials to justify deportations.

• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem:
  • Statement: Praised alleged self-deportations as "self deportation."

Garrison Davis [05:26]: "Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised this as, quote, 'self deportation.'"

• Secretary of State Mark Rubio:
  • Comments: Aggressively stated the revocation of over 300 student visas, labeling them as "lunatics."

Garrison Davis [15:17]: "Mark Rubio claimed that he has revoked over 300 student visas so far... 'Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas.'"

9. Critical Analysis and Host Insights

Throughout the episode, hosts provide critical perspectives on the constitutionality and ethical implications of ICE's actions.

• Constitutional Concerns:
  • Freedom of Speech: Targeting individuals for pro-Palestine activism infringes upon First Amendment rights.

James Stout [43:09]: "Like, this is what that is. If this was happening in China, this was happening in Russia, in other countries, people would be very, very quick to call out."

• Political Motives:
  • Exacerbation by Trump Administration: Policy directions under Trump have intensified these deportation efforts, leveraging public perception against Palestine activism.

Garrison Davis [38:54]: "Trump administration is continuing to correlate any expression of sympathy or solidarity with Palestine as explicit support for Hamas."

• Impact on Community:
  • Ripple Effect: The targeting of specific groups fosters a climate of fear, suppressing legitimate academic and social discourse.

James Stout [42:28]: "We do not necessarily agree with the framing of every single sentence that they have said... We are defending their right to engage in constitutionally protected speech."

10. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In wrapping up, Davis and Stout emphasize the broader implications of these deportation tactics on American values and civil liberties.

Garrison Davis [43:04]: "These tactics have been used for years to broadly smear pro-Palestine activists while also hurting anti Zionist Jews."

James Stout [43:15]: "This hurts every single one of us, right? Everyone's right to freedom of speech is challenged when someone's right to freedom of speech is challenged."

The hosts underscore the importance of vigilance and advocacy to protect the rights of non-citizens and uphold constitutional protections against governmental overreach.

Notable Quotes

• Garrison Davis [00:32]: "This wave of deportations targeting people engaged in pro Palestine speech protest... has not publicly engaged in Palestine activism."

• James Stout [19:01]: "Yeah, the anti-American ideologies, again, is just vastly broad, right?"

• Garrison Davis [27:53]: "Canary Mission has been collecting and publishing personal information of people they accuse of promoting hatred of the United States, Israel, and Jews."

• James Stout [43:15]: "Everyone's right to freedom of speech is challenged when someone's right to freedom of speech is challenged."

Final Thoughts:
"How ICE Is Targeting Students for Deportation" serves as a poignant exploration of the intersection between immigration enforcement, academic freedom, and civil liberties. By presenting detailed case studies and exposing the collaboration between government agencies and extremist doxing groups, the episode paints a concerning picture of systemic suppression of dissent and the erosion of constitutional rights. Davis and Stout urge listeners to remain informed and advocate against such overreaches, emphasizing that the fight for freedom of speech is a collective responsibility.