Donald Trump had promised to take action against the students involved in “pro-Hamas protests” on American university campuses. A Palestinian activist and a graduate of Columbia University, Mahmoud Khalil, was arrested last week for participating in the Israel-themed protests at the university, earning criticism from the world’s top educational institution.
Khalil, a recent Columbia School of Public and International Affairs graduate, was arrested from his university-owned apartment on Saturday evening by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, his lawyer, Amy Greer, said.
Greer was informed by the ICE agents during a phone call that they were carrying out the instructions from the State Department to cancel Khalil’s student visa. When she explained that Khalil was in the US as a permanent resident with a green card, they informed her that they were cancelling that instead.
Department of Homeland Security subsequently stated that the arrest was being made “in support of President Trump’s executive orders banning anti-Semitism Donald Trump, while campaigning, had promised to take action against the students who protested in favour of Hamas on the university campuses and the recent arrest is being viewed as a crackdown on the same.
Last Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on X that the Trump government would be “revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported” The university made a declaration about the first arrest being interpreted as the first openly known deportation attempt by the Trump government.
The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism faculty stated on March 14, in defence of press freedom and declared that it was at risk in the US.
