It’s probably honest advice for students - the most vulnerable should not be at forefront of this fight. It should have been followed immediately by: but we will be posting on these topics nonstop to represent and protect the right of free speech and will be pursuing legal remedies and using our platform to say what we’re urging you not to say.

That's the most mealy-mouthed nonsense I've ever heard.
"... using our platform to say what we're urging you not to say"?? Have you been paying attention for the last 15 months?

Yes. I'm saying that those in more protected positions (like the administrators at the Columbia Journalism School) should take the lead in saying things the administration dislikes and pushing back against unconstitutional actions, and should not be encouraging international students to do it.

Of course, they won't take the vanguard on these issues. But I'm acknowledging that saying that "we will protect you" would be a lie - not only given Columbia's cravenness at the higher ranks, but because *they may not be able to*, even if they were to fight as hard as they could (but won't).

Ah. That wasn't clear at all from your reply. Couldn't agree more, particularly when it comes to those in positions with huge platforms like Jelani Cobb. That really shocked me.
Of course, there *are* ways non-citzen students could publish - anonymously, or on borrowed bylines - and there are ways the University could defend them, especially those with such huge resources as Columbia, but as you say, it's cravenness that's winning out here.