Apr 11 Immigration judge rules that Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil can be deported By Sara Cline, Kate Brumback, Associated Press Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil can be deported as a national security risk, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled Friday during a hearing over the legality of kicking the activist who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations out of the U.S. Continue reading
Apr 10 Pressed for evidence against Mahmoud Khalil, Rubio argues his presence undermines U.S. foreign policy By Jake Offenhartz, Associated Press The two-page memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press, does not allege any criminal conduct by Khalil, a legal permanent U.S. resident and graduate student who served as spokesperson for campus activists last year during large demonstrations against Israel's… Continue reading
Apr 08 Court tells government to provide evidence justifying deportation of Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil or case is over By Sara Cline, Jake Offenhartz, Associated Press At an immigration hearing Tuesday in Louisiana, Judge Jamee Comans gave the federal government until Wednesday to turn over its evidence gathered against Khalil, a 30-year-old legal U.S. resident. Continue reading
Mar 28 WATCH: Khalil’s lawyers speak as judge weighs whether to move jurisdiction for case By Jake Offenhartz, Associated Press Lawyers for Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate student facing deportation for his role in pro-Palestinian campus protests, urged a federal judge on Friday to move their client’s case out of Louisiana, describing his imprisonment there as a “Kafkaesque” ploy to… Continue reading
Mar 18 Columbia University student says his detention shows anti-Palestinian racism in U.S. By Larry Neumeister, Associated Press In a letter dictated from a Louisiana immigration lockup and released by his attorney on Tuesday, the student, Mahmoud Khalil, said he is being "targeted" as part of a larger effort to repress Palestinians. Continue reading
Mar 14 Trump demands admissions overhaul and control of academic department at Columbia University By Jake Offenhartz, Associated Press The Trump administration has delivered an extraordinary ultimatum to Columbia University, threatening to permanently end federal funding to the school unless it cedes control of an international studies department and implements sweeping changes to other policies. Continue reading
Mar 13 Jewish protesters flood Trump Tower to demand activist Mahmoud Khalil’s release By Cedar Attanasio, Associated Press Police have begun arresting demonstrators from a Jewish group who filled the lobby of Trump Tower to denounce the immigration arrest of Mahmoud Khalil. Continue reading
Mar 12 Trump campaigned as a protector of free speech but critics say his actions threaten it By Nicholas Riccardi, Christine Fernando, Associated Press President Donald Trump campaigned as a champion of free speech, but First Amendment advocates say they’ve never seen freedom of speech under attack the way it has been in his second term. Continue reading
Mar 12 WATCH: Lawyers for pro-Palestinian activist threatened with deportation hold news briefing By Jake Offenhartz, Larry Neumeister, Associated Press One of Khalil’s lawyers, Ramzi Kassem, told the judge that Khalil was “identified, targeted and detained” because of his advocacy for Palestinian rights and his protected speech. He said Khalil has no criminal convictions, but “for some reason, is being… Continue reading
Mar 11 Arrest of activist sparks questions about protections for foreign students and green card holders By Rebecca Santana, Associated Press The arrest of a Palestinian activist who helped organize campus protests of the war in Gaza has sparked questions about whether foreign students and green card holders are protected against being deported from the U.S. Continue reading