The debate over freedom of speech and government overreach has intensified following the recent arrest and proposed deportation of Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil. A permanent U.S. resident, Khalil was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on allegations of supporting Hamas, which his legal team fervently denies. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, a Midwest ADL board member opposes the ADL’s stance, warning it risks undermining First Amendment rights.

The board member, who remains anonymous, criticizes the ADL for what is perceived as aligning itself with hardline Trump administration policies, which many believe to reflect a guise of combating antisemitism that jeopardizes democratic norms. The board member cites their own Jewish and American values in denouncing Khalil's incarceration, stating, "Not in my name," as per the Chicago Sun-Times.

Khalil's story took another twist as detailed in recent court filings obtained by ABC7 Chicago, concerning the night of his arrest. Khalil was swept from his campus residence to a detention facility and posed, he feared, for immediate deportation. "I asked if we were going back to 26 Federal Plaza, and I was told, 'No, we are going to JFK Airport,'" Khalil said in the filing, "I was afraid they were trying to deport me."

Khalil's attorneys argue that agents, one identified as Abdul and another by a Yankees cap, cited a revoked student visa—despite his legal permanent residency through marriage to a U.S. citizen, as reported by ABC7 Chicago. With no criminal charges filed, a federal judge has halted his deportation while his petition is reviewed. His immigration hearing is set for March 27.