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What liberals get wrong about Mahmoud Khalil's arrest

Nicole Russell   Paste BN

Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and former graduate student at Columbia University, is accused by the Trump administration of being a national security threat and supporter of Hamas.  

Admitted to the U.S. with a green card, Khalil has been arrested and faces deportation. His ongoing legal battle raises questions about national security needs versus free speech rights. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described Khalil as “an individual who organized group protests that not only disrupted college campus classes and harassed Jewish American students and made them feel unsafe on their own college campus but also distributed pro-Hamas propaganda flyers with the logo of Hamas.” 

Progressives are outraged about Khalil’s detention. In a statement, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said Khalil’s arrest was “ripped straight from the authoritarian playbook.” 

What the left has avoided discussing in this case are antisemitism and Hamas’ murderous terrorism. 

Antisemitism has been an ugly problem in the U.S., particularly on college campuses. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents skyrocketed 360% after Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. 

Last spring, students at Columbia and other universities protested Israel’s defense of its citizens against Hamas terrorists. They destroyed private property and hurled antisemitic sentiments at Jewish students. It was despicable. 

I’m a staunch advocate for the Bill of Rights, but Khalil is a noncitizen who is accused of spending his time in the U.S. giving comfort to terrorists who kidnap and murder children.  

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Khalil’s arrest. “This is not about free speech,” Rubio said. “This is about people that don’t have a right to be in the United States to begin with. No one has a right to a student visa. No one has a right to a green card.” 

American progressives need to think about who they are siding with. Repeating antisemitic chants and Hamas’ talking points isn’t acceptable, and it’s far from progressive. 

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