National Students for a Democratic Society statement on the Threat of Passport Revocations

National Students for a Democratic Society condemns H.R 5300, a threatening proposal which would have allowed the U.S Secretary of State to unilaterally deny or revoke the passports of people who have criticized Israel for its ongoing Genocide in Gaza. This proposal is a further example of the Trump administration's continued efforts to silence free speech and dissent.

This disastrous proposal is just one example of a broader pattern: the Trump administration’s systematic undermining of the constitutional right to free speech. We first saw this with Trump’s Executive Order 14188; aimed towards restricting free speech and punishing the anti-war movement.

This executive order manifested itself acutely with the arrest and attempted deportation of student anti-genocide activist Mahmoud Khalil, as well as other student protestors. Other examples of free speech crackdowns include the arrest of journalist Mario Guevara, Texas senate bill SB2972, giving universities broad power to silence their students, and the removal of Jimmy Kimmel from ABC channels after threats from the FCC to revoke their broadcasting license.

National SDS has these words for those who actively fight against the development of a progressive society, WE ARE NOT SCARED. These attacks on free speech need to be understood as not the actions of the strong government, but rather of an unpopular government in crisis. We can live in a society where free speech and political expression is protected, if only we dare to struggle for it.