Trump administration tightens grip on colleges, pressuring them following pro-Palestinian demonstrations, with activist still incarcerated.
Straight and Sassy:
Trump's Regime Clamps Down on Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations on College Campuses
The Trump administration is squeezing its grip on suppressing pro-Palestine protests on university campuses, as a protest erupted at the president's New York City residence over activist Mahmoud Khalil's detention, and resistance persists in the courts and beyond.
Khalil, a Palestinian refugee, is currently in ICE custody in Louisiana. Freshly surfaced videos posted on Friday by the American Civil Liberties Union capture the moments of his March 8 arrest, caught on camera by his pregnant wife.
Khalil's attorneys lodged a motion for his release last Friday, asserting Khalil's First Amendment and due process rights were infringed upon when federal immigration officers seized him last week. Lawyers further argued that Khalil's detention is "punitive" and lacks any "reasonable relation" to any legitimate government purpose.
"The government hasn't demonstrated that Mr. Khalil-a husband to a US citizen, soon-to-be father to a US citizen, and lawful permanent resident with no criminal history-needs to be detained," the motion maintains.
The new court filing reveals the White House's apparent involvement in Khalil's detention. As he waited to be processed following his arrest in New York, Khalil reportedly heard an ICE agent approach, claiming "the White House is requesting an update."
CNN has made contact with the White House for a response.
Trump, who's working on hammering out an extension to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, flaunted that he'd "proudly apprehended" Khalil, adding that individuals who "support terrorism...are not welcome here."
However, Khalil's lawyer stated that the government's case has "no basis in law."
"They kidnapped this man, this young student, father-to-be... based on an accusation that he has the wrong political ideas, and he has expressed them," Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, told CNN's Sara Sidner.
Tidbits:
- Khalil's legal team alleges that his detention is retaliatory and unlawful.
- The Trump administration has attempted to employ provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act to restrict Khalil's First Amendment rights.
- The recent court decision sets a precedent that federal courts can review constitutional challenges against the government's actions.
Protests resumed at Columbia University, where administrators now face a litany of quandaries, from having federal agents on campus, to facing an ultimatum over federal funding, to disciplining those who participated in protests last spring and fighting against a lawsuit seeking to block the school's cooperation with a US House probe.
The US Justice Department is now also investigating whether those involved in last year's pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia violated federal anti-terrorism laws.
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1 In a turn of events, Khalil, a Palestinian refugee, remained detained in Louisiana, with his lawyers citing his First Amendment rights and due process being infringed upon.
2 General-news organizations reported that the White House had allegedly requested updates on Khalil's detention, raising questions about its involvement.
3 Perhaps heartbroken by the ordeal, Khalil's wife recorded his March 8 arrest, and the footage was later published by the American Civil Liberties Union.
4 As the politics of crime-and-justice continue to swirl around Khalil's case, Columbia University faces its own set of challenges, including federal investigations and potential litigation.
