1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student, is being unjustly detained by immigration authorities over his activism in support of Palestinian rights. He was arrested without charges and transferred across state lines to a remote detention facility, violating his due process rights and obstructing access to legal counsel. This punitive action against peaceful protest and advocacy is a threat to free speech. As an expecting father awaiting the birth of his first child, his continued detention also poses health risks for his pregnant wife due to immense stress. If this is acceptable for one it will happen to us all and that is unacceptable and unconstitutional. I urge you to intervene to secure Khalil's immediate release, as detaining individuals without justification over their political views is unconstitutional and antithetical to American values of free expression. This wrongful imprisonment must end.