1. United States
2. Tenn.
3. Letter

What happened to the first amendment? (Congress from making laws respecting an establishment of religion; prohibiting the free exercise of religion; or abridging the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, or the right to petition the government for redress of grievances). In America, political speech is protected and it does not allow the government to retaliate against anyone for their speech. Federal agents took Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian refugee and former master’s student at Columbia University, into custody without an arrest warrant and without identifying themselves on March 8, 2025. Mahmoud Khalil is being detained without having been charged with a crime. He is a permanent resident of the United States. He is being denied due process, since he has not had fair and appropriate access to his lawyers. The Trump administration is claiming to revoke Mahmoud’s green card. In Spring 2024, Mahmoud Khalil told CNN, “As a Palestinian student, I believe that the liberation of the Palestinian people and the Jewish people are intertwined and go hand-by-hand and you cannot achieve one without the other. Our movement is a movement for social justice and freedom and equality for everyone.” He spoke at protests at Columbia University advocating for the freedom and liberation of everyone. As your constituent, I'm asking you please do everything in your power to secure the release from ICE custody of U.S. permanent resident and student activist Mahmoud Khalil. Detaining Mahmoud Khalil and threatening his immigration status for speech that is protected by our Constitution is illegal and un-American. I want to know your stance on these violations of free speech and due process. If you do not support these violations of free speech and due process, then we need transparency so please hold hearings and bring ICE agents in to answer questions under oath. If you do nothing you are complicit in the death of due process and the rule of law.