(Bloomberg) — A Palestinian scholar activist at Columbia College who led anti-Israel protests final spring was detained by immigration authorities at his house.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers entered the university-owned constructing in Manhattan on Saturday the place Mahmoud Khalil lived and took him into custody, in keeping with his lawyer Amy Greer, the Related Press reported.
ICE had orders from the State Division to revoke Khalil’s scholar visa, the AP stated. Greer stated Khalil, who was born in Syria, was a everlasting authorized resident, however ICE officers informed her they had been additionally revoking his inexperienced card.
It’s uncommon to arrest a green-card holder within the absence of a severe felony offense. Revoking a inexperienced card is commonly a prolonged authorized course of as a result of the holder has already been vetted and is on their technique to being eligible to change into a US citizen.
Columbia College issued an announcement saying the college would adjust to federal legislation.
“Columbia is dedicated to complying with all authorized obligations and supporting our scholar physique and campus neighborhood,” the college stated. “We’re additionally dedicated to the authorized rights of our college students and urge all members of the neighborhood to be respectful of these rights.”
The arrest seems to be step one by federal authorities to make good on President Donald Trump’s promise to deport worldwide college students who participated in anti-Israel protests on faculty campuses. Jewish college students have stated they had been harassed and assaulted throughout these occasions.
The Trump administration on Friday canceled $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia College to punish larger schooling establishments for failing to deal with antisemitism on campuses and warned that extra punishments could observe.
“This blatantly unconstitutional act sends a deplorable message that freedom of speech is now not protected in America,” New York Immigration Coalition President and CEO Murad Awawdeh stated in a press launch Sunday.
–With help from Alicia A. Caldwell.
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