Secretary of State Marco Rubio has doubled down on his stance regarding the revocation of visas and green cards, notably following the recent arrest of Palestinian activist and former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil. Rubio explicitly stated that "we're going to keep doing it" during his appearance on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" yesterday, signaling an ongoing campaign against individuals the administration deems threats to U.S. foreign policy interests, as reported by CBS News.
Khalil, who has been detained since March 8, finds himself at the center of a heated debate over the limits of protest and the rights of visa and green card holders in the U.S. According to an ABC 7 New York article, his attorneys maintain that he does not support Hamas and challenge the basis of his detention. Rubio, however, insists that the administration's actions are justified and have said that if Khalil had been forthright about his intentions to participate in pro-Hamas events or cause disruption at one of your allegedly elite colleges, he never would have been granted entry into the United States.
The controversy has grown as more student visas and green cards are revoked. Besides Khalil, others have been affected by the tightened policy, including Ranjani Srinivasan, a doctoral student from India who self-deported, and Leqaa Kordia, another Palestinian Columbia student arrested in Newark. Protests continue as students and supporters call for the release of those detained, while graffiti on the university president's office demands the same, stating "Free them all," as mentioned in the ABC 7 New York report.
Rubio's argument is that these individuals are "guests" in the U.S., and if their activities run contrary to U.S. interests, it's within the rights of the government to revoke their legal status. "We don't want terrorists in America," Rubio told CBS News, including both Hamas supporters and members of the Tren de Aragua prison gang in this category. However, neither Rubio nor the White House has publicly provided concrete evidence that Khalil supported Hamas or was involved in any terrorist activities beyond his participation in Columbia University protests.
The legal backlash against these measures is already underway. Khalil's attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss the case claiming his arrest and detention violate the First Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment. A top ICE official in New York justified Khalil's charge as "removable" due to the Secretary of State's belief that his presence or activities could have serious adverse consequences for U.S. foreign policy. With immigration proceedings not starting until the end of the month, Khalil awaits an uncertain legal journey ahead.
