Secretary of State Marco Rubio knocked the notion that Mahmoud Khalil’s federal court docket case is about First Modification rights however somewhat his authorized standing to stay within the U.S. after he led pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
“This is not about free speech. This is about people that don’t have a right to be in the United States to begin with,” Rubio mentioned throughout a Wednesday briefing with reporters.
“No one has a right to a student visa. No one has a right to a green card,” he added.
Khalil’s detainment by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has drawn widespread consideration and objections from lawmakers who declare he was illegally arrested.
The previous Columbia College scholar is a inexperienced card holder who helped manage campus protests towards Israel in assist of Palestine.
Rubio advised reporters the nation retains the precise to disclaim visas for “virtually any reason.”
“For those who inform us, once you apply, ‘Hello, I am making an attempt to get into america on a scholar visa, I’m a giant supporter of Hamas, a murderous, barbaric group that kidnaps kids, that rapes teenage ladies, that takes hostages, that permits them to die in captivity, that returns extra our bodies than dwell hostages,’ he mentioned. “If you tell us that you are in favor of a group like this, and if you tell us, when you apply for your visa, and by the way, ‘I intend to come to your country as a student and rile up all kinds of anti-Jewish student, anti-Semitic activities, I intend to shut down your universities,'”
“For those who advised us all these items once you utilized for a visa, we’d deny your visa,” Rubio continued. “I hope we would. If you actually end up doing that, once you’re in this country on such a visa, we will revoke it.”
Khalil’s authorized battle is a take a look at case within the Trump administration’s new strategy to crackdown on immigration. The case fulfills a marketing campaign promise made by Trump that he would arrest and deport overseas college students who participated within the pro-Palestinian encampments final yr.
A federal choose blocked efforts to deport Khalil, who has not been charged with a criminal offense, within the midst of ongoing court docket deliberations.
