**Palestinian Student Activist Faces Deportation from US**
Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old Palestinian student activist, is facing deportation from the United States. The decision to deport him has been upheld by immigration agents until June 13, giving the Trump administration time to file an appeal.
Khalil’s arrest is linked to President Trump’s promise to crack down on student protesters who he accuses of “un-American activities.” Trump has repeatedly claimed that pro-Palestinian activists, including Khalil, support Hamas, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the US. However, Khalil’s attorneys claim that he was exercising his right to free speech by demonstrating in support of Palestinians in Gaza and against US support for Israel.
**Crackdown on Student Protesters**
Khalil was arrested during a crackdown on international student protesters. His arrest has become the most visible in this crackdown, with videos of his arrest spreading around social media. Khalil’s lawyers accuse the government of “open repression of political speech and student activism.” They claim that there is no proof that Khalil had given any support to terror groups designated by the US.
Khalil was on the frontlines of negotiations during protests at Columbia University in 2024, mediating between university officials, activists, and students. However, the White House claims that he was involved in organizing protests where pro-Hamas material was distributed. Khalil’s lawyers have responded by saying that there is no evidence to support this claim.
**Protests Erupt in New York City**
Khalil’s arrest has sparked protests in New York City, where Columbia University is located. Hundreds of people gathered in Manhattan on Monday for a protest, including Columbia University students and professors. Donna Lieberman of the New York Civil Liberties Union called Khalil’s attempted deportation a “targeted revenge and an extreme assault on the First Amendment.”
The American Civil Liberties Union has described the arrest as “unprecedented” and “obviously designed to intimidate and dampen speech on one side in a public debate.” Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s press secretary, said that the administration will not tolerate individuals who have the privilege of studying in the US and then siding with pro-terrorist organizations.
**Background on Mahmoud Khalil**
Khalil was born in Syria and moved to the UK, where he managed the Syria Chevening Programme for the British Embassy in Beirut. He later moved to the US in 2022 and earned a master’s degree at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. His arrest has raised concerns about the Trump administration’s crackdown on student protesters and its impact on free speech.
Legal experts say that green card holders may be deported for national security reasons, but the case against Khalil was unprecedented. Jacob Hamburger, a visiting assistant professor at Cornell Law School, said that targeting individual protesters for protesting is something they haven’t experienced before, not even under the first Trump administration.
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