Palestinian activist detained in US speaks out ahead of court hearing

A recent Columbia University graduate who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers for his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations spoke out Thursday about the unfairness of the justice system in the United States. Mahmoud Khalil, who took part in pro-Palestinian rallies at his university in New York City, was rounded up by ICE for his participation and in a court hearing last week was handed a ruling by the judge that he could be deported from the US because he threatens foreign policy, as alleged by the Trump administration. As Khalil awaits his April 23 court hearing to determine what is next in his deportation process, he shared his side of the story in a letter he wrote to The Washington Post. "On Friday, I sat in a courtroom as an immigration judge determined that the government could deport me despite my status as a legal permanent resident and despite that the government’s claims against me were baseless — much of their 'evidence' lifted directly from sensationalized tabloids," he said. While the decision won't result in his immediate deportation, Khalil has many court dates ahead, with other aspects of his case pending in different courtrooms. "I’ve learned about how the (Trump) administration exploits immigration law to enforce its repressive agenda," he said. "I think about the breakneck speed with which my case was heard and decided, running roughshod over due process. On the flip side, I think about those I am locked up with, many of whom have been languishing for months or years waiting for their 'due process.'" Khalil questioned why the protesters at Columbia, just like the thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators at colleges across the US, are having their right to freedom of speech being held against them. "Why should protesting Israel’s indiscriminate killing of thousands of innocent Palestinians result in the erosion of my constitutional rights?" he said. "Like the thousands of students that I advocated with at Columbia — including Muslim, Jewish and Christian friends — I believe in the innate equality of all human beings," Khalil continued. "I believe in human dignity. I believe in the right of my people to look at the blue sky and not fear an impending missile." Khalil expressed his opinion that "rights are granted to those who align with power," but he does not see the existence of those rights for the poor, people of color and for those who resist injustice. "The right to free speech when it comes to Palestine has always been exceptionally weak," he said. "Even so, the crackdown on universities and students reveals just how afraid the White House is of the idea of Palestine’s freedom entering the mainstream. Why else would Trump officials not only attempt to deport me but also intentionally mislead the public about who I am and what I stand for?" As Khalil awaits his fate in court, the possibility remains that he may very well be deported to either Syria or Algeria. He said he wrote his letter to The Washington Post in hopes that it will "raise alarm bells" that people’s rights are already in jeopardy. "I hope it will inspire your outrage that the most basic human instinct, to protest shameless massacre, is being repressed by obscure laws, racist propaganda and a state terrified of an awakened public," he said. "I hope this writing will startle you into understanding that a democracy for some — a democracy of convenience — is no democracy at all," he concluded. "I hope it will shake you into acting before it is too late."