Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential contender and governor of Florida, stated he would cancel the student visas of foreign nationals studying in the United States and deport them back to their home nations if they indicated sympathy for the attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists.
The White House hopeful spoke about his plans to expel foreign students from American colleges and universities who support Hamas at a campaign event in Iowa on Friday.
This comes as numerous pro-Palestinian student groups at various institutions across the country issue statements and hold protests in support of Hamas’ biggest attack against Israel in decades.
If DeSantis is elected president in 2024, he has promised to “cancel your visa and I’m sending you home.”
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, a fellow Republican running for president, declared at the same event in Iowa that, if elected, he would withhold Pell Grants from colleges that did not eradicate antisemitism on their campuses.
Both candidates for the presidency expressed their support for Israel while the conflict between the Jewish State and Hamas raged on for more than three weeks.
Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, more than 5,700 people have died in Gaza and Israel. This has prompted Israeli forces to take retaliatory action.
Many others have been taken hostage by Hamas, raped, tortured, and killed, while thousands more have been injured.
DeSantis has taken efforts to assist Floridians stranded in Israel find their way home and has been outspoken in his condemnation of Hamas’ unexpected attack on Israel.
As a result of the governor’s executive order allowing logistics, rescue, and evacuation operations under Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, the governor reported last week that close to 300 Floridians landed in the Sunshine State aboard planes from Israel.
The flights were achieved thanks to collaboration with the search and rescue nonprofit organization Project DYNAMO, and plans are being made for additional evacuation flights to Florida.
[READ MORE: DeSantis Makes Stop in South Carolina in Latest Campaign Move]
