The First Amendment protects speech that offends us, but not speech that threatens us. It’s a distinction that many Americans struggle to understand. As pro-Hamas protests have erupted on college campuses nationwide, we’ve witnessed not just the expression of controversial opinions but something far more troubling.

Let’s be clear about what the Constitution actually protects. Americans have the right to express political views, even deeply offensive ones. They can criticize any government, including Israel’s. They can advocate for Palestinian self-determination or wave Palestinian flags. These expressions, while painful to many Jewish Americans, remain protected speech.

But what we’ve seen on campuses like Columbia goes far beyond protected expression. When protesters shout threats at Jewish students, physically block them from attending classes, or create environments so hostile that Jewish students fear displaying their identity, we’ve crossed into territory the First Amendment never intended to protect.

Over 60% of Jewish college students report feeling unsafe on campus amid these protests. Many have had their classes canceled, moved online, or been physically prevented from attending. Some campuses have seen bomb threats and the occupation of buildings that halted educational activities.

During an interview with CBS “Face the Nation,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the controversy following the arrest of anti-Israel agitator Khalil Makhil, who has been at the forefront of Columbia’s violent protests.

“We don’t want it. We don’t need these people in our country. We never should have allowed them in, in the first place,” he said, noting that student visas are a “privilege not a right.”

“It’s that simple. If you had told us that you were going to do that, we never would have given you the visa. Now you’re here. Now you do it. You lied to us. You’re out. It’s that simple. It’s that straightforward.”

He’s right.

Waving Hamas flags or wearing Hamas symbols on campus isn’t equivalent to expressing support for Palestinian statehood. Hamas is a designated terrorist organization that explicitly calls for the elimination of Jews in its charter and was responsible for the October 7 attacks that included the murder, rape, and kidnapping of innocent civilians.

When protesters adopt terror symbols and chant “From the river to the sea” calling for the elimination of the Jewish State, they’re not engaging in protected political discourse. They’re creating a threatening environment for Jewish students that no university should tolerate.

Until properly addressed, deportation is a reasonable consequence for violating the rights of others.