You don’t need to hold sympathy for Mahmoud Khalil’s views to see why his targeting is an immense threat to free expressionThe dust is starting to settle on the conflicting reports emerging after immigration officers’ arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University protest leader and green card holder, last weekend – and Americans should be alarmed by the similarities to authoritarian regimes’ speech policing.The White House has confirmed the arrest took place under a law granting the secretary of state unilateral power to act when given “reasonable ground to believe” an immigrant’s “presence or activities in the United States would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the country. Continue reading...
The U.S. government's deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University protest leader, for allegedly distributing "pro-Hamas propaganda" is drawing comparisons to authoritarian regimes' suppression of free expression. The White House confirmed the arrest under a law granting the Secretary of State unilateral power based on "reasonable belief" of potential adverse foreign policy consequences, with Trump promising further deportations of those engaging in "pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity." This action mirrors tactics employed by countries like India and Russia, which have targeted journalists and critics through visa denials and expulsions for expressing views deemed unfavorable by the government.
