College Democrats of New York’s Statement on Mahmoud Khalil
The First Amendment guarantees the fundamental rights to free speech and assembly in the United States. ICE’s kidnapping of student activist Mahmoud Khalil is a direct attack on his and his family’s rights—an outrageous, unconstitutional assault on the very freedoms this country claims to uphold.
The ICE agents who entered Columbia University housing to detain Mahmoud failed to provide a warrant or any officially filed charges. Khalil is a lawful permanent resident of the United States and is married to a U.S. Citizen who is eight months pregnant.
This shameful act sends a chilling message: dissent from tyranny is not tolerated by the Trump Administration, and the government is willing to trample on civil liberties to silence voices of resistance.
Due process is not optional—it is a legal right. A green card can only be revoked by an immigration judge. The Trump administration is, once again, disregarding the law to spread fear and advance its racist, anti-immigrant agenda. America is supposed to be a nation of freedom, yet this unlawful act by the Department of Homeland Security undermines that very principle.
CDNY demands the immediate release of Khalil and calls on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to intervene against this politically motivated and illegal detention of a legal New York resident. Now, more than ever, we must unite and push back against these injustices. We urge all New Yorkers to educate themselves on their rights and stand together against unlawful actions by ICE and the Federal Government.
###
Contact Information:
Sowad Ocean Karim
Communications Director
collegedemsny@gmail.com
Organization Info:
College Democrats of New York
https://www.collegedemsny.org
collegedemsny@gmail.com