Detroit activists call for release of Palestinian protester arrested in New York
Palestinian activist arrest in New York sparks furious reaction across US
Mahmoud Khalil was arrested over the weekend leading to protests planned across the country, including one in Metro Detroit.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A Palestinian activist who helped lead student protests at Columbia University is facing deportation.
Mahmoud Khalil was arrested over the weekend leading to protests planned across the country, including one in Metro Detroit.
Rex Nazarko with the political nonprofit AMEEN, says his primary concern is that the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, assembly, and protest for all people within U.S. jurisdiction, not just citizens.
"Every American should be concerned about their First Amendment rights," he said. "We think this is a political persecution plot."
"We want Marco Rubio to hear what we’re saying, we want ICE to hear what we're saying, and we want the release of him," said Ali Hassan.
The backstory:
Khalil, 30, was taken into custody by federal immigration officials as he and his wife were returning home to their Columbia University-owned apartment.
According to his attorneys, agents claimed his student visa had been revoked. But when his wife provided documentation showing he was a legal permanent resident, they told her that his status had also been revoked.
"We think it’s optically meant to send a message to anyone who speaks out on the issue of Palestine or any issue that is deemed politically disliked," said Narko.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Khalil’s deportation, but his supporters argue his arrest is part of a broader crackdown on campus protests against the war in Gaza.
"The charges simply make no sense from a legal perspective, they have no legal ground to hold," Nazarko said.
President Donald Trump called Khalil’s arrest "the first of many", signaling his administration’s intent to take stronger action against demonstrators.
In Detroit and some large US cities, the opposite is happening; some demonstrations are ramping up over this.
The Trump Administration says Khalil is a national security threat and accuses him of distributing pro-Hamas propaganda.
The State Department says US immigration allows for Khalil to be deported if his presence has serious adverse policy consequences for the United States.
"Being in this country with a visa is a private and you gotta follow certain rules," said Tom Homan, the border czar.
The Source: Information for this report is taken from interviews with activists and from Tom Homan.