Thu Mar 13 23:31:14 UTC 2025: ## Outrage Erupts as US Seeks to Deport Pro-Palestine Activist
**New York, NY** – A wave of protests has engulfed New York City following the arrest and impending deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian permanent resident of the United States. Khalil, who is married to a US citizen and eight months pregnant, was detained on Saturday for his involvement in pro-Palestine activism at Columbia University.
Demonstrators, including actress Deborah Winger, packed the lobby of Trump Tower on Thursday, demanding Khalil’s release. The protest, organized in part by Jewish Voice for Peace, saw 98 participants arrested for misdemeanor charges after staging a sit-in. Police forcibly removed protesters who had donned red shirts emblazoned with the message “Not in our name,” in reference to Khalil’s case.
The Trump administration justifies its deportation attempt under a law allowing the removal of green-card holders deemed adversarial to US foreign policy and national security interests. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt claims Khalil supported terrorism, a charge his lawyers and supporters vehemently deny, describing the accusations as a conflation of criticism of Israeli policy with support for terrorism. They contend Khalil is a “political prisoner” targeted for his activism.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Khalil’s deportation pending a legal challenge, but he remains in detention in Louisiana. His lawyers are seeking his transfer to New York to be closer to his wife and to facilitate legal proceedings. Meanwhile, a separate lawsuit filed by eight Columbia students, including Khalil, challenges a congressional committee’s request for student disciplinary records related to pro-Palestine protests, arguing it violates First Amendment rights and privacy laws.
Former President Trump has reportedly stated that Khalil’s arrest is “the first of many to come,” escalating concerns about a broader crackdown on pro-Palestine activism. The ongoing controversy highlights a significant clash between the Trump administration’s stance on Israel and the rights of US residents engaged in political expression.
First Piper 