(C) Common Dreams
This story was originally published by Common Dreams and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



BREAKING: CAIR Says Louisiana Immigration Judge’s ‘Dangerous, Unconstitutional’ Ruling on Mahmoud Khalil Must Not Stand [1]

[]

Date: 2025-04

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said a ruling by a U.S. immigration judge in Louisiana that Columbia University anti-genocide activist Mahmoud Khalil can be deported for his peaceful political activities and beliefs is a “dangerous, unconstitutional” decision that must not stand.

The judge gave Khalil’s attorneys until April 23 to request relief to stop his deportation.

The government had submitted a memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that Khalil could be deported from the U.S. because of his lawful activities and beliefs. Trump administration officials have not alleged any criminal conduct by Khalil, a legal permanent resident.

Zeteo notes : At the end of the hearing, Khalil asked to make a statement on the record. He stood and addressed the court directly.

“I would like to quote what you said last time that there’s nothing that’s more important to this court than due process rights and fundamental fairness. Clearly, what we witnessed today, neither of these principles [was] present today or in this whole process,” he said. “This is exactly why the Trump administration has sent me to this court – 1,000 miles away from my family. I just hope that the urgency that you deemed fit for me [is] afforded to the hundreds of others who have been here without hearing for months.”

Hundreds of students face deportation in a Trump administration crackdown on those who have spoken out against the far-right Israeli government’s genocide targeting the Palestinian people.

SEE: The State Department Has Revoked the Visas of Over 600 Students at 100+ Schools – Truthout

CAIR chapters nationwide have spoken out against the campaign to silence criticism of Israel’s genocide.

In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:

“This Louisiana immigration judge’s dangerous, unconstitutional ruling allowing the deportation of a legal permanent resident because the current administration wants to punish him for exercising his First Amendment right to criticize the Israeli government’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza must not stand.

“Although today’s ruling is just the first step in a long legal process, it should be alarming to all Americans who cherish the Bill of Rights and basic freedoms like free speech.

“We are confident that federal courts will see through the Trump administration’s lawless attack on free speech and that the movement against the Israeli government’s genocide will continue to grow in our nation, despite these Orwellian attempts to suppress free speech.”

The New York chapter of CAIR (CAIR-NY) has previously condemned the wrongful arrest of Mahmoud Khalil and demanded his release. CAIR has also announced a call to action urging people to contact members of congress and demand Khalil’s release.

SEE: CAIR-NY Condemns Arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, Calls for Immediate Release

SEE: CAIR Action Alert: Free Mahmoud Khalil

Last month, CAIR’s national office and the law firm of Dratel & Lewis announced the filing of a federal lawsuit on behalf of Khalil and other Columbia University students against Columbia University and the Committee on Education and Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives regarding the Congressional request to disclose thousands of student records.

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | TikTok | Website|YouTube

Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.

You are receiving this email due to your interest selection from commercial media databases. If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters — For more information, email: [email protected], CC [email protected]

END

CONTACT: Afaf Nasher, Esq., CAIR-NY Executive Director, [email protected], 917-669-4006;

CAIR-NY Communications Team, [email protected]; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-says-louisiana-immigration-judges-dangerous-unconstitutional-ruling-on-mahmoud-khalil-must-not-stand/?emci=a50409e4-0e17-f011-8b3d-0022482a9fb7&emdi=28ecd277-1917-f011-8b3d-0022482a9fb7&ceid=40124

Published and (C) by Common Dreams
Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0..

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/commondreams/

You are viewing proxied material from magical.fish. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.