Judge says Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil can't be deported from U.S. as protesters call for his release
www.nbcnews.com
The Columbia University grad, who helped organize the school’s pro-Palestinian rallies, was detained Saturday night and told his student visa was being revoked, his attorney said.

Summary

A federal judge blocked the removal of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil from the U.S. after his arrest by ICE.

Khalil, a Columbia University graduate who helped organize pro-Palestinian protests, was arrested Saturday by ICE agents who claimed his visa was revoked for supporting Hamas.

The Trump administration continues to claim he violated an executive order prohibiting anti-Semitism, though no evidence was provided. Protesters in NYC demand his release, calling the arrest unconstitutional.

His location remains unclear. The ACLU and immigrant rights groups argue the detention violates free speech, warning it sets a dangerous precedent.

  • SeaJ@lemm.ee
    12·
    12 hours ago

    He is not a citizen. He had a green card which the administration revoked. Green cards cannot be revoked without cause and Khalil did not break a law. They could deport him if he was advocating for an organization that is an enemy of the US (terrorist organizations, enemy nations, etc) or if he committed a felony. Trump did sign an EO basically saying that anti Semitism on campuses is illegal. So the administration will have to prove that his protests were anti Semitic. Unfortunately I could definitely see the courts allowing the administration to interpret their own EO and ignoring the fact that it violates constitutional rights.

    Edit: I forgot that there was an EO from Trump’s last administration that targeted anti Semitism which changes his outlook. The Supreme Court does everything it can to have narrow rulings despite clear constitutional issues with some executive orders. If it makes it there, I see them supporting deportation.

    • caffinatedone@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      8 hours ago

      Executive orders can’t make things illegal. They’re not royal proclamations, they’re just guidance to executive agencies.

    • andy1@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      6·
      18 hours ago

      They’ll just say that being pro-Palestine is the same thing as advocating for HAMAS, revoke his green card, and send him away.

      • SeaJ@lemm.ee
        1·
        12 hours ago

        I think they will shoot for the anti Semitism angle. They have already started he was detained due to Trump’s EOs. They could more easily argue that rather than having to say being against Palestinian genocide is somehow advocating for Hamas. I anal but that seems like the easier move to me.

        Either way, I don’t see it ending well for him which is really shitty and shows how much our basic rights are just a shallow façade.

    • FoxyFerengi@lemm.ee
      2·
      18 hours ago

      Thank you for clarifying and the additional info! I guess deleted comments might not have federated, I originally meant to reply to tal.