Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest is a prelude of things to come. The Trump administration continues to tread on the First Amendment right to free speech. Khalil’s arrest is an escalation of Trump’s threat to students who dare to exercise their right speak out again the war in Gaza. It is a bellwether of sorts for the Trump administration to see just how far it can expand immigration law to carry out his restrictive immigration policies.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spouted vague and broad language to justify its arrest of Khalil. The rhetoric coming out of the White House is more of the same. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s likening of material support of terrorism to being “adversarial to the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States of America” is a clear example of this administration’s attempt to broaden and expand immigration law. The laws governing material support of terrorism are clear, and simply speaking in opposition to a stated foreign policy does not equate to supporting terrorism or being aligned with designated terrorist organizations.
There is much more to come in the Khalil case, and we will have to await the outcome of today’s hearing to know whether Mr. Khalil will have to face his immigration battle as a detainee or as a free, lawful U.S. resident.
