- United States
- Ariz.
- Letter
The Trump administration's recent actions targeting legal residents Mahmoud Khalil, Badar Khan Suri, and Rumeysa Ozturk for their political views are a flagrant violation of the First Amendment right to free speech and protest. Khalil, a permanent resident and Columbia University graduate, was ambushed by ICE agents who revoked his green card without due process after he acted as a lead negotiator for Gaza solidarity protests. Similarly, Suri's visa was revoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio without justification, leading to his detention by ICE, seemingly due to his wife's "suspected" political views. Ozturk, a Fulbright scholar, was also apprehended by ICE despite having a valid student visa. These individuals are being denied their constitutional rights and unlawfully detained without charges solely for expressing dissenting political opinions. Such actions set a dangerous precedent of using deportation as a tool to silence peaceful protest and criticism of the government. This erosion of civil liberties cannot be tolerated in a free society. Immediate action must be taken to secure the release of Khalil, Suri, Ozturk, and any others unjustly targeted, while reaffirming the inviolability of the First Amendment right to free speech for all legal residents.
