Trump pro-Palestine crackdown forces student journalists to lie low
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Student newspapers are being urged to reexamine established editorial practices about unpublishing articles and anonymization.
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Demonstrators walk in an encampment on the UCLA campus after clashes between pro-"Israel" and pro-Palestine groups, on May 1, 2024 (AP)
Fearing legal ramifications, internet abuse, and professional implications, student journalists in the US are withdrawing their identities from published pieces as the Trump administration intensifies persecution against students thought to be affiliated with the pro-Palestine movement.
Editors at university publications believe that fear among writers has increased following the arrest of Tufts University graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, who is presently in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody fighting deportation. While the government has not provided evidence to justify its decision to withdraw her visa, she authored an op-ed in a student publication last year criticizing "Israel", raising concerns that simply expressing one's opinions in writing is now considered sufficient grounds for deportation.
Ozturk is one of almost a dozen students and researchers detained by immigration officials since March 8, when Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate student and green card holder, was arrested and deported for his involvement in pro-Palestine rallies. Student editors note that international students who have contributed to their publications are particularly anxious, but that requests to remove pieces due to fear of reprisal are also coming from US residents.
Adam Kinder, editor of Columbia Political Review, said his journal has been requested to remove about a dozen pieces and delay the publishing of over a dozen more in response to rising pressure in recent weeks. "For students who disagree with the Trump administration's stance, they fear real retaliation," Kinder pointed out.
Stanford Daily's editor, Greta Reich, revealed there has been an increase in takedown requests in recent weeks.
The increased risk spurred a consortium of national student media groups to issue an advisory on Friday, urging student newspapers to reexamine established editorial practices about unpublishing articles and anonymization.
"What we are suggesting today stands in opposition to how many of us as journalism educators have taught and advised our students over the years," read the notice. "These are not easy editorial decisions, but these are not normal times."
Takedown requests create ethical quandaries familiar to every newsroom, and student papers are no different, with young editors having to weigh high-stakes safety concerns against the journalistic value of openness.
At the University of Virginia, the Cavalier Daily editor, Naima Sawaya, noted a shift in the paper's approach due to the current climate. After publishing pieces on Trump’s policies regarding immigrants and pro-Palestine activism, one staffer resigned due to concerns about their visa status, following advice from the university. Sawaya, who once viewed the paper as an archive, now acknowledges that safety concerns could lead her to remove articles if staff request it.
At New York University, editor Yezen Saadah shared that while their publication does not use anonymous bylines, some staff members have stepped back from reporting roles due to safety concerns but continue to contribute in other editorial capacities.
One California university editor noted a significant increase in anonymization requests since ICE began arresting international students, ranging from opinion writers wanting to remove their names from articles critical of "Israel" or Trump to sources wanting to anonymize their quotes.
They stated that international students are now only ready to speak to the media on the condition of anonymity.
In February, the Purdue Exponent, a student newspaper at Purdue University in Indiana, took down the names and images of student protesters supporting Palestinian human rights from its website, citing safety concerns and adherence to the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics, which emphasizes minimizing harm.
Mike Hiestand, a lawyer with the Student Press Law Center, claimed that while student media has typically rejected removal demands, the present atmosphere has changed that position. Lindsie Rank of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression also highlighted the shift, stating that just six months ago, comparable situations would have been viewed as ethical rather than legal difficulties, but the risk climate has shifted.
