Protests Erupt Over ICE Detention of Columbia Grad Mahmoud Khalil

Detention and White House Statements

• 🏛️ Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate, has been detained by ICE, with court filings due for a federal hearing.
• 📣 The White House Press Secretary stated Khalil distributed terrorist propaganda and that DHS identified others on campus engaged in similar activity.
• ⚖️ Khalil's attorney denies he is a threat, calling his arrest an affront to his First Amendment rights due to his advocacy for Palestinians.

Campus Protests and Demands

• ✊ Students gathered in Washington Square Park, protesting Khalil's arrest and demanding ICE be removed from campus.
• 🚶 Protests escalated from a sit-in at Columbia University to a march through Lower Manhattan towards City Hall, where arrests were made.
• 🗣️ Supporters claim Khalil has been profiled and selected for doxing and harassment.

Allegations and Legal Scrutiny

• 📰 Allegations include Khalil organizing protests that disrupted classes, harassed Jewish students, and distributing Hamas propaganda flyers.
• 📜 An immigration attorney noted that the government must prove Khalil lied on his Green Card application, questioning if he provided material support.
• 🏫 Columbia University is reportedly refusing to help DHS identify individuals involved in alleged propaganda activity, and the US Department of Education has warned about enforcement action against schools not complying with the Civil Rights Act.