Federal Government Submits Evidence In Deportation Case Of Mahmoud Khalil

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MET A FEDERAL JUDGE’S REQUEST – TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR DEPORTING FORMER COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY GRADUATE STUDENT MAHMOUD KHALIL.

IN A LETTER SUBMITTED BY SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO WEDNESDAY, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ARGUES KHALIL’S PUBLIC ACTIONS AND CONTINUED PRESENCE IN THE UNITED STATES “WOULD HAVE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS ADVERSE FOREIGN POLICY CONSEQUENCES FOR THE UNITED STATES.”

THE LETTER ALSO STATES KHALIL’S ACTIVITIES UNDERMINES U.S. POLICY TO COMBAT ANTISEMITISM.

IMMIGRATION AUTHORITES ARRESTED KHALIL, A GREEN CARD HOLDER MARRIED TO A U-S CITIZEN, IN EARLY MARCH — CLAIMING HE WAS A PROMINENT FIGURE IN ORGANIZING COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY’S PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTS ON CAMPUS LAST YEAR.

THE US STATE DEPARTMENT REVOKED KHALIL’S GREEN CARD ARGUING HE’S PRO-HAMAS SYMPATHIZER WHO POSES A RISK TO NATIONAL SECURITY.

LAST MONTH, A FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM DEPORTING KHALIL. ON TUESDAY, AN IMMIGRATION JUDGE IN LOUISIANA TOLD THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO PRODUCE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT KHALIL’S DEPORTATION WITHIN 24 HOURS.

SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO SUBMITTED THAT LETTER INTO EVIDENCE BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

IN HIS LETTER, RUBIO MADE NO MENTION OR CONNECTION OF KHALIL BEING LINKED TO THE HAMAS TERROR GROUP.

RUBIO HAS SAID MORE THAN 300 STUDENT VISAS HAVE BEEN REVOKED FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS.

“IF YOU COME TO THIS COUNTRY AS A STUDENT, WE EXPECT YOU TO GO TO CLASS AND STUDY AND GET A DEGREE. IF YOU COME HERE TO LIKE VANDALIZE A LIBRARY, TAKE OVER A CAMPUS AND DO ALL KINDS OF CRAZY THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE’RE GOING TO GET RID OF THESE PEOPLE. AND WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO IT. SO WHEN WE IDENTIFY LUNATICS LIKE THESE, WE TAKE AWAY THEIR STUDENT VISA. NO ONE’S ENTITLED TO A STUDENT VISA,” RUBIO SAID DURING A CABINET MEETING THURSDAY.

CRITICS OF KHALIL’S ARREST SAY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS VIOLATING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION CALLING KHALIL’S DETENTION AND POSSIBLE DEPORTATION AN ATTACK ON FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

KHALIL’S LEGAL TEAM CRITICIZED RUBIO’S LETTER ARGUING IT DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD OF PROVING KHALIL’S ACTIONS COMPROMISE U.S. FOREIGN POLICY INTEREST.

INSTEAD, HIS ATTORNEY SAYS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO SILENCE THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH THE ISRAELI OR U.S. GOVERNMENT, SAYING THIS CASE IS A “DANGEROUS SLOPE” AND KHALIL WILL FIGHT IT TIL THE END.

KHALIL’S LEGAL TEAM ADDRESSED REPORTERS DURING A ZOOM MEETING THURSDAY.

“WHAT THE RUBIO LETTER TALKS ABOUT IS THEY’RE TRYING TO PROTECT, THEY SAY, JEWISH STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES, JEWISH PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES FROM ANTISEMITISM,” MARC VAN DER HOUT, KHALIL’S ATTORNEY SAID DURING A ZOOM MEETING THURSDAY. “BUT WHAT IS THE ANTISEMITISM? IT IS CRITICIZING ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SLAUGHTERING THAT IS GOING ON IN GAZA AND IN PALESTINE.”

THE IMMIGRATION JUDGE WILL RULE FRIDAY WHETHER KHALIL WILL BE DEPORTED OR GO FREE.