‘That’s Pathetic, Mr. Secretary’: Rubio Called Out By Senator For Detaining Student Over an Op-Ed

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) sparred on Tuesday in a heated Senate hearing about Rubio revoking student visas and detaining activists on campus over speech.

“If you come to the United States and study, and if you tell me that you’re coming to the United States to lead campus crusades to take over libraries and burn down buildings and commit acts of violence, we’re not going to let that happen,” Rubio said, defending his position.

“Is that what Ms. Öztürk did?” Van Hollen demanded – referring to Tufts University student Rümeysa Öztürk, who was detained for six weeks before a judge ordered her release in early May.

“We’re not going to allow that,” Rubio added.

Van Hollen fumed in reply, “Come on, Mr. Secretary, you’re just blowing smoke here now.”

“The bottom line is, if you’re coming here to stir up trouble on our campuses, we will deny you a visa. And if you have a visa, we’ll revoke it,” Rubio continued.

“Does the First Amendment not apply?” interjected Van Hollen, again referring to Öztürk, who lost her visa and was detained for writing an op-ed.

“We’re going to do more. There are more coming. We’re going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities. People are paying money, these kids pay money to go to school,” Rubio continued loudly.

“Writing an op-ed for the student newspapers is disrupting the foreign policy of the United States?” Van Hollen pressed.

“I want to do more. I hope we can find more of these people,” Rubio continued.

“That’s pathetic, Mr. Secretary!” Van Hollen interrupted.

“In fact, the other day, some individuals led a riot. I forgot what university it was. And I asked, please, can you find the arrest records of all the people that were arrested at that riot, at that campus? Because if any of them have a visa, we’re going to revoke them,” Rubio concluded.

Van Hollen jabbed back, “I feel so much safer you lock up people like Ms. Ozturk, Mr. Secretary.”

Watch the clip above via C-SPAN.