Far-Right Betar group sends list of thousands of pro-Palestinian activists to Trump admin. for deportation

The American branch of the Betar Zionist movement, Betar US, says it has sent "thousands of names" of Palestine defenders to the administration of President Donald Trump for potential arrest and deportation, as part of its new smear campaign targeting participants in pro-Palestine protests across the country.

The far-right group made the remarks on social media on Friday, stressing that "Jihadis have no place in civilized nations."

This comes as critics have voiced concern over Betar's activities and ongoing “deportation efforts,” which involve documenting protest attendees and reporting them to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Earlier this week, Betar said, "We told you we have been working on deportations and will continue to do so. Expect naturalized citizens to start being picked up within the month. You heard it here first. Those who support jihad and intifada and originate in terrorist states will be sent back to those lands."

America’s ‘most hated Zionist group' smears pro-Palestine voices to have them deported

Betar US Zionist group has launched a vicious smear campaign against pro-Palestine activists and students in the US, pushing the Trump administration to have them deported.

The group -- which took credit for the arrest of Palestinian student-activist and US Green Card holder Mahmoud Khalil by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for protesting the Israeli regime’s brutal war on the Gaza Strip -- further named Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian studying philosophy at Columbia University in New York City, as its next target.

On Friday, US immigration officers announced the arrest of another activist who participated in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, one of the most prestigious schools in the country.

Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian from the occupied West Bank, was detained for allegedly overstaying her expired student visa, the DHS said in a statement.

She had previously been arrested in April 2024 for taking part in protests at Columbia University, the statement added.

The DHS further noted that another student, Ranjani Srinivasani, who has Indian citizenship, chose to "self-deport" by leaving the US earlier this week.

The Trump administration has also set a deadline for Columbia University to cede control of one of its academic departments over a scholarship critical of Israel.

Pro-Palestine activists face harassment and deportation threats from Zionist group Betar US

Betar US is using facial recognition technology and social media to monitor and intimidate pro-Palestine activists.

Back in January, Trump signed an executive order, pledging to deport foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

Following the detention of Khalil, Trump declared it was "the first of many to come," labeling Khalil a “radical foreign pro-Hamas student” without providing any evidence.

He emphasized that his administration would adopt a strict stance against any pro-Palestinian activities within American universities.

Founded in 1923 by Ze’ev Jabotinsky, a Zionist figure, and named after Brit Yosef Trumpeldor, Betar US actively spreads Zionist propaganda and in recent months, the group has intensified efforts to identify foreign students in the US who participate in anti-Israel protests, seeking their deportation.

The extremist group is using facial recognition technology and social media to monitor and intimidate pro-Palestine activists, reporting them to US immigration authorities for potential deportation.

This crackdown on free speech has sparked outrage, with critics condemning the group’s tactics as an attempt to suppress dissent and stifle advocacy for Palestinian rights.

Pro-Israel Anti-Defamation League has recently designated Betar as a hate group, after it responded to the publication of a list of thousands of Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces by saying on its account on X, "Not enough. We demand blood in Gaza!"

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir