Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student of Columbia University and lawful permanent resident, was arrested by ICE in front of his eight-months-pregnant wife, who is a U.S Citizen. The most disturbing aspect is that Khalil hasn’t been charged with anything specific, yet the Administration is labeling his public comments on the Gaza crisis as aligned with terrorism. 

ICE officers took Khalil into custody in the middle of the night without a warrant, due process or hearing with the intention to revoke his green card and deport him. This is not just an attack on Khalil, who served as a student negotiator between students and Columbia University Administration, it is an attack on our fundamental rights to free speech and assembly. 

The authority to revoke one's green card rests solely with the Judiciary after an individual is convicted of a crime. Here, the President and Secretary of State do not have any such power, and no legal authority or official actions justify this Administration’s attempt to strip his status. If the administration can strip legal residents of their rights for protesting, who will be next? 

Please take action to uphold our constitutional rights and ensure that all individuals, including Khalil, are treated fairly under the law. 

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

We are witnessing a historic escalation in the crackdown on political speech in America. The U.S. government is now using deportation as a weapon to silence dissent, targeting Palestinians, Muslim Americans, and allied activists who challenge its policies.

The right to criticize foreign governments and advocate for human rights must be protected. Conflating peaceful protest with anti-Semitism or terrorism is a dangerous and deliberate distortion designed to chill free speech. The goal is clear: to silence dissent and criminalize advocacy for Palestinian rights.

Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest could be the first of many, according to the administration’s own words. This is a deliberate test case to see what they can get away with. If we don’t fight back now, they will only escalate.

We need to take action now.