‘I Hate The Smell Of Hypocrisy’: John Kennedy Says America Must Choose ‘Brightest’ Foreign Students Who Love America

Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy said on Fox News Tuesday that the United States must prioritize attracting “the best and brightest” international students who genuinely love America.

An Obama-appointed judge temporarily blocked the deportation of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, accused by the Trump administration of supporting Hamas, until a lawsuit challenging his detention is reviewed. While discussing the issue in an appearance on “The Ingraham Angle,” Kennedy said that while America hosts a record number of foreign students, their presence should not negatively impact American students’ opportunities.

“I’m happy to have our foreign students. I want to pick the best and the brightest in the world and have them come. But also, they have to love America,” Kennedy told host Laura Ingraham.

Addressing potential security risks, Kennedy highlighted Chinese students.

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“Their allegiance has to be to the country. And when they’re here, they have to behave. And the Immigration Naturalization Act is very clear. If they don’t, if we even have a reasonable belief to think that their presence is adverse to foreign policy, we can deport them. And we should. And these universities like to love them,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy criticized universities for prioritizing financial incentives over national interests. He accused institutions of admitting large numbers of foreign students primarily due to the lucrative full-tuition payments they bring.

“Other countries do the same thing in Australia. They admit so many foreign students, Chinese students, they love them paying full tuition,” Kennedy said. “And that’s fine, but these kids are here with permission of the American people. And they’ve got to support our country or at least not hate it.”