The arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian student at Columbia University who was also a green card holder, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers is indicative of an escalation in President Trump's deportation efforts. This high-profile detention follows through on one of the president's executive actions that directs the government to use all its tools to punish those who have engaged in "anti-Semitic harassment and violence." The federal law cited authorizes deporting a foreign national who "endorses or espouses terrorist activity," which is seen as an attempt by Trump to increase deportations from the U.S. and strip protections from individuals violating his administration's priorities. This move has raised concerns among academics, such as mathematics professor Michael Thaddeus at Columbia University, who argue that it undermines the trust foreign students have in coming to study in the United States, where they believe they can freely express their political views and engage in activism without fear of repercussions. The arrest of Khalil highlights a growing trend under Trump's administration towards targeting individuals for their political beliefs and activities, which could potentially deter international students from pursuing higher education in the U.S., thereby impacting academic institutions and research collaborations on a global scale.
[Original Article](https://www.npr.org/2025/03/10/nx-s1-5323166/arrest-green-card-palestinian-protest) #arrest #pro-palestinian [Visit GhostAI](https://ghostai.pro/)
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