Hundreds Come Together For Mahmoud Khalil Outside The Courthouse While Lawyers Condemn The "unprecedented" Affair Against Columbia Student 14/03/2025

A Columbia University The holder of the higher and green study card was arrested and marked for expulsion by Donald Trump‘s administration Only for his “plea for Palestinian rights,” Mahmoud Khalil’s lawyers said on Wednesday in a federal courtroom in Manhattan.

Khalil – which is treated for deportation in a Immigration and customs application The detention center in Louisiana – has been “identified, targeted, detained and is being expulsion due to its plea for Palestinian rights”, according to Ramzi Kassem, lawyer for the project of responsibility and responsibility (Claire) of the creation of the law.

Lawyers from Khalil, a leading organizer forPalestine demonstrations on campusmade his first appearance in a case to determine the legal basis of the shocking arrest of Khalil new YorkWhere he was removed from his American citizen wife, eight months pregnant, and sent to a detention center in Louisiana, more than 1,300 miles.

Mahmoud Khalil's lawyer Ramzi Kassem speaks to journalists on March 12 after a first hearing in a critical case to determine if the Trump administration can expel a green card holder on pro-Palestine demonstrations at Columbia University — Mahmoud Khalil’s lawyer Ramzi Kassem speaks to journalists on March 12 after a first hearing in a critical case to determine if the Trump administration can expel a green card holder on pro-Palestine demonstrations at Columbia University (Getty images))

Monday, district judge Jesse Furman temporarily arrested Its withdrawal from the United States and prevents the government from expelling it. But Khalil will remain in Louisiana for the moment.

The attempt to expel a legal permanent resident for their political opinions Attracted an international examination and raised fears of repression against freedom of expression by the Trump administration.

His detention has “seriously limited” the access of his lawyers to him, Kassem told the judge.

Khalil lawyers were able to plan a privileged call for lawyer -client – on March 20, more than two weeks after his arrest. “We have not been able to confer once with our client,” said Kassem.

Government lawyers said it was “the first one we hear about customer access problems” and that “examine it”.

But Khlalil “was dealt with for expulsion” and will be “placed in the procedure of referral” before a court of Louisiana, according to the deputy prosecutor of the United States Brandon Waterman.

The judge ordered Khalil access to two privileged calls – on Wednesday and another Thursday.

Khalil was detained for the first time in a center of New Jersey early on Sunday morning before being moved to Louisiana that night.

His arrest was largely condemned by democratic officials and civil rights groups, wondering how a legal permanent resident could be expelled, without facing any criminal accusation and without any evidence of the government of allegations against him or other demonstrators.

Administration officials argued that Khalil does not need to be charged, and even less condemned for a crime, to be dismissed from his duties, alleging without evidence that he was “aligned with Hamas”, thus providing material support for a terrorist organization.

His lawyers plan to submit a new file this week to “constitutional” flesh out violations and develop their arguments after the Trump administration declarations, Kassem said.

A tribunal sketch represents the lawyers for Mahmoud Khalil to speak to the district judge Jesse Furman on March 12 (Jane Rosenberg / Reuters))

A calendar of his arrest and his detention and when lawyers intervened could finally determine where the case of Khalil can be heard. He was arrested in New Jersey shortly after 3 am on Sunday. A petition for his dismissal was tabled after 4 am later in the night, he was transferred to Louisiana.

But the judge seemed somewhat skeptical about the fact that Khalil remains in Louisiana while his lawyers are fighting for his return to New York.

Judge Furman suggested that there could be an “exception” if there was “bad faith” in an attempt to intentionally deprive a court to have jurisdiction, or if the “constant movement” of the government of a person in detention intended to prevent them from “knowing where to deposit” more than 20 years ago.

Confrontation after the Maga flag is torn off outside the audience of Mahmoud Khalil

Outside the court, hundreds of people have joined a rally demanding the release of Khalil.

David Maloof, a 68 -year -old lawyer and a graduate of 1988 Columbia who wore a red hat “Make America America Again” at Wednesday’s rally, said he was concerned about the implications for freedom of expression.

“If we do not support each other now, the citizens are the next ones,” he said. “I mean, how close this line is someone like Trump?” … This thing can go as far as the Supreme Court, and I hope they will make the right decision, that is to say that you need more than the word of a politician like (Secretary of State Marco) Rubio, to remove someone, to remove their freedom. »»

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Federal Court in Manhattan at Khalil's hearing — Hundreds of people gathered outside the Federal Court in Manhattan at Khalil’s hearing (Richard Hall / The Independent))

Miriam Osman, an organizer of the Palestinian Young Movement, said that she was “rabid” by what she described as Khalil’s “illegal detention”.

“No matter what your political opinions are in this country, you have the right, constitutionally, to be able to express them, and that is exactly what Mahmoud Khalil did,” she said.

“So that the Trump administration comes to tell you, as a holder of green cards, can simply be recovered at home a night without regular procedure, it should be completely appalling for each American,” she added.

From the steps of the Palais de Justice, actress and activist of Thurgood Marshall Susan Sarandon Tell to journalists that “freedom of expression is a right that we have all, and it is a turning point in history”.

Actress and activist Susan Sarandon described the case of Khalil as “turning in history” (EPA))

Kassem called the government’s field for revoking Khalil’s green card “absolutely unprecedented,” he told journalists after Wednesday’s hearing.

“It cannot be possible to disappear at night, off the streets of New York, simply because the current administration of the White House does not like what you have to say,” said Kassem.

“Essentially, they are a form of punishment and reprisals for the exercise of freedom of expression,” he added. “We believe that he will not steal before the Federal Court. We think he will not steal before immigration. And that should certainly not fly before the Court of public opinion. »»

The demonstrators demanded the immediate release of Khalil, who is held in Louisiana and treaty for the expulsion procedure (AFP via Getty Images))

Baher Azmy, Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and member of the Khalil’s Legal Team, compared his arrest to McCarthyism and Red Fear, a dark period of 20th century American history when the United States government has suppressed and persecuted its own citizens for their political convictions.

“Khalil’s detention has nothing to do with security. This is only repression,” said Azmy.

Joseph Howley, an associate professor of classics at Columbia University, invoked the quote from Martin Niemöller on the rise of Nazism in Germany in the 1930s while he made comparisons with the current civil rights landscape in America.

“Where are we exactly in the poem that begins:” When they came for the Communists, I did not speak “? Well, they have already come for asylum seekers, “he said. “They came for migrant families. Now they have come for Mahmoud Khalil. It’s not a very long poem, so how far the list do you think you are?

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