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Attorneys for anti-Israel protester Mahmoud Khalil criticized the two-page letter from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying the entire lawsuit against his client lies on volatile allegations.
The letter, filed this week in the immigration court and released Thursday, said the Trump administration has the power to expel non-citizens whose presence undermines the interests of US foreign policy.
The memo alleges that Halil, a legal permanent resident who served as a spokesman for anti-Israel protesters at the massive demonstrations and a graduate student at Columbia University, took part in “anti-Semitic protests and destructive activities.” His presence in the US would “provide potentially serious and unfavourable foreign consequences and compromise the interests of attractive US foreign policies.”
Mahmoud Khalil condemns “anti-Palestinian racism” arrested in his first statement since Ice detention
Mahmoud Khalil speaks to the media at Columbia University on June 1, 2024 (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“Two pages, that’s all,” Mark van der Hout, one of Halil’s lawyers, told reporters at a virtual press conference Thursday. “But this administration wants to silence Mahmoud and silence those who speak out against the Israeli government or the US government.”
Fox News Digital has contacted the White House.
The Trump administration has been trying to deport Halil for his work at Ivy League last year. Federal judge Jamie Comans said on Friday he will control whether Halil can be deported or whether he must be released.
“I think the whole picture here where we all need to focus on is that tomorrow’s hearing can act in violation of the Constitution and it has important implications whether we can deport someone or not. We cannot stand in our position.”
Trump vows that anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil was “the first arrest of many.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the administration’s pledge to deport Hamas sympathizers. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci/Getty Images)
The lawyers also denounced the Trump Forum administration’s “shop” to argue their case against Halil in a friendly court.
“Just as the government was trying to manipulate jurisdiction rules to let Mahmoud go out of federal courts in New York and New Jersey and stay in the Federal Circuit in Louisiana, where the law is incredibly advantageous to the government,” said Boemer Azmee, director of the Constitutional Rights Center.
Azumi said government lawyers are trying to argue the case in immigration court. This said, “We must primarily accept what the Secretary of State said about Mahmoud and primarily postpone the enforcer’s conclusions on the fact that he is a threat to foreign policy.”
President Trump, Mahmoud Halil, protesters (Getty Images)
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Halil was arrested by US immigrants and customs enforcement officers on March 8th. The Trump administration has targeted non-citizen, anti-Israeli protesters for deportation.
After his arrest, Halil was taken to Louisiana, where Rubio canceled his green card.
Halil characterizes his arrest as “indicating anti-Palestinian racism.”
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