Nationwide protests erupt as North Texas students demand release of pro-Palestinian activist
As an activist who led pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University remains in an immigration center in Louisiana, college students across the country are protesting, believing the federal government is violating his First Amendment rights.
At the University of Texas at Dallas, students are demanding the release of 30-year-old Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian national of Palestinian descent and former Columbia University student.
"He was kind of at the forefront of the movement at Columbia for 'Protest for Palestine,' and they are basically trying to take away his rights to be able to speak out," said Mina Altuffah of Students for Justice in Palestine.
The Trump administration calls Khalil a Hamas sympathizer and has accused him of distributing Hamas propaganda.
"I thought about bringing them into this briefing to share with you all, but I didn't think it was worth the dignity of this room," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing.
Khalil, a green-card holder married to an American citizen, is currently being held in an immigration center. The government is attempting to deport him, citing the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the Secretary of State to deport someone they believe could harm U.S. policy interests.
"If you end up having a green card, not citizenship, but a green card, as a result of that visa while you're here and those activities, we're going to kick you out," said Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The Anti-Defamation League supports the deportation effort. Khalil's lawyers argue this is political retaliation.
"This is nothing but an attack on policy and organizing, and our movement as a whole, but it doesn't mean that we're going to stop organizing," said Aysha Ahmed of Students for Justice in Palestine.
