Inside The Deportation Files: How A Secretive Website Became Trump’s Weapon Against Pro-Palestinian Students | World News

Washington: It started with a name. Then a photo. An excerpt from the context. Before he knew this, dozens of young students, many of them, marked themselves, watched, and attracted a quiet war that most Americans had never heard.

Mask record in a Washington courtroom. An internal security guard announced that activists have been whispering for a long time. The US government uses Canary Mission, a controversial pro -Israel website to describe and deport student protesters who dare to speak for Palestine.

Peter Hatch, an agent with immigration and customs conservation (ICE), stood in front of a federal judge and admitted that ICE had created a special “tiger team .. Heat? Roughly 5,000 files were compiled on Israeli critics in the Canary Mission. Hatch said that many clues come verbally. But yes, some started with the canary list.

The judge said, “Someone ‘is a list that the canary mission brings together?’ He said.

“Yes,” Hatch replied.

For activists and civil freedoms, it felt like an earthquake. He confirmed that many of the Trump administration were suspected of working hand in hand with a website, defined as a hate group. He is a one who publishes the names, photographs, relationships and even social media publications of the individuals he sees as “anti -Israeli”.

Targets usually find the profile of their names in search engines. It would be the biggest result for many. For some, this is why they lose job offers, threaten or deported border.

Heba Gowayed, a professor of sociology at New York City University, did not underestimate words. “Canary Mission is a Doxxing site. The only purpose is to target and harass students who dare to speak for Palestinian rights. It is ridiculous for the US government to use such a website.

The printing had already begun. Trump did not waste time after returning to the office. Executive orders prepared the ground in January. A note told Federal officials to watch international students and staff for “anti -Jewish activity ..

In March, Columbia graduate student Mahmud Khalil was the first public case. A resident of a US change with a citizen was suddenly declared a national security concern. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered him to be deported.

Reason? Political views, especially in opposition to Israeli policies.

He wasn’t the only person. He was arrested more quieterly. Some of them were made – leave on your own or stay and detained indefinitely. Some like Khalil are fighting in court.

Rumeysa Ozturk, a student, had no arrest record. No violent protests. No connection with pro -extreme groups. Is his “crime”? In the university document, an OP-ED that supports a disposal decision under student leadership. This alone lowered him to the Canary Mission’s radar and then to custody.

Behind this liquidation lies an old play book. A document circulating before the 2024 elections titled ‘Project esther’ has revealed in detail. He called on the student visa owners and Israeli critical professors prepared by the right -wing Heritage Foundation and whose canary mission was quoted repeatedly. The authors believed that these activists posed a threat to the American’s alliance with Israel.

Andrew Ross, a professor in Nyu, called the campaign with Al Jazeera.

“I am a canary.

He said that profiles are generally stated as basic as sharing the international amnesty organization reports. “They want to stamp everyone who supports Palestinian rights.”

The access of the canary mission extends beyond the US borders. In 2018, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israeli border officers used the site to enter certain activists. In the same year, Ileri followed the group’s financing to an Israeli non -profit organization called Megamot Shahalom.

American Jewish charity institutions reportedly received money against it. But nobody knows who runs the site. Authors anonymous. Servers are special. Methods opaque.

“This is not just a blog. It is designed for maximum damage. And when governments start using it? This is dangerous, Ross Ross said.

Canary Mission claims that he hasn’t produced information. However, critics say the design is the issue. Search engine optimization. Association with guilt. The ominous framework of ordinary opposition as radicalism.

And now, the US government is quietly turning into more extreme corners. Hatch implied to another site at the same court hearing, where Hatch agreed to use the Canary Mission. When asked whether Betar, a militant right -wing group, who is connected to the Co -Chanist violence, Hatch said, “This is true,” he said.

This is a terrible climb for the right groups.

Palestine Legal, “This is not immigration sanction. Ideological cleaning,” he said.

Even J Street, a moderate Israeli lobby, condemned the movement. “The canary mission feeds the Trump agenda to deport student activists – armed anti -Semitism. This is about silencing the opposition.”

The Department of Internal Security avoided commenting. Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio said openly to the public, “If you come to mix the problem, we will deny your visa. If there is one, we will cancel”.

For now, black lists continue to grow. Court wars continue. And a generation of student finds a silent database and the full power of the US government.

They protested for Palestine. Now they are fighting for the right to stay in the country they once called home.