1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

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. The Trump administration is punishing Mahmoud Khalil for his free speech on Palestine. The First Amendment also protects the freedom of speech of people who are not American citizens. This detainment of Mahmoud Khalil for free speech while denying him due process and claiming to revoke his legal residency status is blatant fascism. 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 I want you to (1) denounce the Trump administration’s actions against Mahmoud Khalil, (2) tell me how you plan to protect free speech and due process, and (3) act on your responsibility to uphold the Constitution. As your constituent, I expect a response.