The Trump admin is attempting to deport a Columbia protest leader
Image: Selcuk Acar/Anadolu
Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia student who helped lead pro-Palestinian protests, was arrested and had his green card revoked this weekend.
In a social media post, President Trump said Khalil is “the first arrest of many to come” as his administration targets students who “engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity.”
Quick background: Several US universities saw large-scale pro-Palestinian protests last spring in response to the Gaza war. Columbia in particular was a major flashpoint for student activism, with protesters occupying buildings, disrupting classes, and clashing with police.
- Khalil, a Columbia graduate student from Palestine and green card holder, was one of the most visible activists in those protests, acting as student negotiator.
Breaking down the arrest
While Khalil isn’t accused of any crime, the White House says he faces deportation because his actions during the Columbia protests violate President Trump's recent executive order banning antisemitism. The decision to revoke Khalil’s green card was approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio following a review of his public and private activities.
Is the move legal? Short answer: it’s unclear. Typically, any of America’s ~13 million green card holders must break the law to have their permanent immigration status revoked. But certain US laws allow the government to block entry or remove a non-citizen for “terrorist activities.” And the secretary of state can deport a green card holder whose activities “would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.”
Many free-speech advocates are sounding the alarm. Critics of Khalil’s arrest frame it as a clear violation of the First Amendment – which analysts say extends to green-card holders – since the Trump administration hasn’t pointed to any national-security concerns beyond political speech.
- They also accuse Trump of trying to silence campus protesters who support topics with which he doesn’t agree.
Looking ahead…A federal judge has blocked any attempt to deport Khalil while a lawsuit filed on his behalf plays out, with the next court hearing scheduled for later today.
📊 Flash poll: Do you agree with the Trump admin’s decision to revoke Columbia protest leader Mahmoud Khalil’s green card?
See a 360° view of what pundits are saying →
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that while the increasing presence of antisemitism on college campuses is cause for concern, Khalil’s arrest clearly violates the 1st Amendment — and does nothing to combat antisemitism.
- Others contend that the Trump administration is trying to deport a man solely for his First Amendment-protected activity, without due process – an action that by all existing legal standards is illegal and unconstitutional.
- “Mahmoud Khalil’s pro-Palestinian comments are protected speech, not grounds for deportation” –Erwin Chemerinsky, LA Times
- “If Trump Can Deport Mahmoud Khalil, Freedom of Speech Is Dead” –Natasha Lennard, The Intercept
- “The Problem at the Heart of Trump’s University Crackdown” –David Wallace-Wells, NY Times
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that the Trump administration’s arrest of Khalil is legal and a much-welcomed step towards addressing the inability – or unwillingness – of elite universities to maintain the basics of civilized behavior and protect their Jewish students from antisemitism.
- Others contend that “free speech” concerns plainly don’t cover the behavior of Hamas-inspired protesters across college campuses, and Khalil’s arrest should be celebrated as a defense of decency and a push against the perversion of privilege.
- “The Arrest of Columbia’s Mahmoud Khalil” –William McGurn, Wall Street Journal
- “Team Trump’s crackdown on campus hate is a defense of decency and a push against perverted privilege” –NY Post Editorial Board
- “America’s college antisemitism problem finally taken seriously” –Cheryl K. Chumley, Washington Times
Share this!
Recent Discussion stories
Discussion
  | March 10, 2025Illegal border crossings reach their lowest level in decades
🇺🇸 The number of migrants illegally crossing the US-Mexico border plummeted in President Trump’s first full month in office, per multiple reports citing preliminary government data.
Discussion
  | March 7, 2025Holy shift: America is undergoing religious change
🇺🇸🙏 A growing number of US adults are moving away from organized religion while simultaneously embracing spirituality, according to new Pew Research Center findings.
Discussion
  | March 5, 2025The Trump admin’s agenda is facing legal pushback
🏛️⚖️ The Trump administration has issued 75+ executive orders and made other moves to overhaul the federal government over the past month and a half. These changes have prompted 100+ lawsuits seeking to limit the Trump admin’s actions, which are currently working their way through US courts.
You've made it this far...
Let's make our relationship official, no 💍 or elaborate proposal required. Learn and stay entertained, for free.👇
All of our news is 100% free and you can unsubscribe anytime; the quiz takes ~10 seconds to complete