Summary
A federal judge blocked the removal of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil from the U.S. after his arrest by ICE.
Khalil, a Columbia University graduate who helped organize pro-Palestinian protests, was arrested Saturday by ICE agents who claimed his visa was revoked for supporting Hamas.
The Trump administration continues to claim he violated an executive order prohibiting anti-Semitism, though no evidence was provided. Protesters in NYC demand his release, calling the arrest unconstitutional.
His location remains unclear. The ACLU and immigrant rights groups argue the detention violates free speech, warning it sets a dangerous precedent.
He is not a citizen. He had a green card which the administration revoked. Green cards cannot be revoked without cause and Khalil did not break a law. They could deport him if he was advocating for an organization that is an enemy of the US (terrorist organizations, enemy nations, etc) or if he committed a felony. Trump did sign an EO basically saying that anti Semitism on campuses is illegal. So the administration will have to prove that his protests were anti Semitic. Unfortunately I could definitely see the courts allowing the administration to interpret their own EO and ignoring the fact that it violates constitutional rights.
Edit: I forgot that there was an EO from Trump’s last administration that targeted anti Semitism which changes his outlook. The Supreme Court does everything it can to have narrow rulings despite clear constitutional issues with some executive orders. If it makes it there, I see them supporting deportation.
Thank you for clarifying and the additional info! I guess deleted comments might not have federated, I originally meant to reply to tal.
Executive orders can’t make things illegal. They’re not royal proclamations, they’re just guidance to executive agencies.