Watan-The White House defended the arrest of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who led protests at Columbia University in solidarity with Gaza, as a prelude to his deportation.
At a press conference on Tuesday, White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt claimed that Khalil supports Hamas, which she described as a “terrorist organization.”
She further alleged that Khalil misused his opportunity to study in U.S. universities and stated:
“This individual (Khalil) organized campus protests that disrupted classes and attacked Jewish American students, making them feel unsafe at their universities.”
Levitt also claimed that Khalil distributed leaflets bearing Hamas’ logo at the demonstrations he participated in.
She concluded by saying:”Secretary of State Marco Rubio has the authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act to revoke green cards and visas of individuals who oppose U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.”
Arrest and Legal Battle
On Sunday, U.S. authorities arrested the Palestinian student, who had led solidarity protests at Columbia University last year, denouncing Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Khalil’s attorney, Amy Greer, confirmed in a statement that despite holding a U.S. Green Card and being married to an American citizen, Khalil was detained, and his residency was revoked.
Earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) alongside a photo of Khalil, stating: “We will revoke visas or Green Cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
Trump’s Anti-Palestinian Executive Order
In January, former U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on ‘Combating Antisemitism’, which allows for the deportation of students participating in pro-Palestine demonstrations.
U.S. Support for Israel’s War on Gaza
Since October 7, 2023, with American backing, Israel has carried out genocide in Gaza, resulting in:
- Over 160,000 Palestinian casualties (killed and injured)
- The majority of victims being children and women
- More than 14,000 missing persons
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