- United States
- Calif.
- Letter
As an American who values free speech and civil liberties, I am deeply troubled by the arrest and detention of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Khalil, a Columbia University graduate, was taken from his home on Saturday night and had his student visa revoked, despite being informed that he is a permanent resident with a green card. This arrest appears to be politically motivated retaliation against Khalil for organizing pro-Palestinian rallies at Columbia, criminalizing his right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression. There is no evidence provided that Khalil engaged in any illegal activities or posed a threat to justify such harsh action against him.
Detaining individuals solely for their political views is a dangerous violation of constitutional rights that will undoubtedly chill free speech on campuses across the country.
Khalil's continued detention in a facility in Louisiana, far from his home and family in New York, only compounds this injustice. I urge you to use your authority to secure Mahmoud Khalil's immediate release and allow him to return home without fear of further retaliation for exercising his rights. His unlawful arrest sets a disturbing precedent that undermines core American values of freedom of speech and dissent. Our democracy depends on robustly protecting civil liberties, even for viewpoints we may disagree with. I hope you will take swift action to address this case and prevent further politically-motivated detentions of activists.
