Evidence overwhelmingly shows Trump Administration’s continued efforts to deport Mr. Khalil, a U.S. permanent resident, violated his constitutional rights to free speech and due process
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on The Constitution, today led Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), and Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution and Limited Government Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05) in calling on the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to end all attempts to target and punish Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and legal permanent resident.
On March 8, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials arrested and detained Mr. Khalil, a lawful permanent resident of the United States. All available evidence demonstrates that Mr. Khalil—along with other students expressing similar views—was targeted because of his involvement in political protests at Columbia University related to the war in Gaza.
Senators Welch, Durbin, and Reps. Raskin and Scanlon were joined by 39 bicameral lawmakers.
In their letter, the lawmakers highlight that the Columbia University protests attended by Mr. Khalil and cited by the Trump Administration as a basis for his deportation were overwhelmingly non-violent expressions of views in opposition to the conduct of the Israeli government in Gaza: “In fact, a Department of State cable discussing options to deport Mr. Khalil notes, ‘we are not aware of any prior arrests or citations for Khalil regarding unlawful activity.’ The United States has a long history of non-violent student protests, such as those in opposition to the Vietnam War and civil rights abuses. While crimes and violence can and should be prosecuted, speech and views at such protests are clearly protected by the Constitution. Indeed, at no time since Mr. Khalil’s arrest last year has the administration claimed that it has relied on anything other than Mr. Khalil’s First Amendment protected speech to target him.”
“These protests represented positions that were in line with majority views of Americans at the time on issues such as support for humanitarian aid in Gaza and disapproval of Israeli military actions,” the lawmakers continued. “Yet, you have made legal claims that the expression of these same views by students in the United States represented a credible threat to the foreign policy interests of the United States. Federal Judge William Young found in January that you engaged with the President in an ‘unconstitutional conspiracy’ against Mr. Khalil and other students like him for their advocacy against the war in Gaza, noting that ‘These cabinet secretaries have failed in their sworn duty to uphold the Constitution.’”
The lawmakers conclude: “We urge you to end all attempts to punish Mr. Khalil for his constitutionally-protected activities. At a minimum, you must ensure your Departments fulfill their constitutional and statutory duties and afford Mr. Khalil the opportunity to have his current habeas case heard in full.”
Joining Senators Welch and Durbin on the letter in the Senate are Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
In addition to Reps. Raskin and Scanlon, the letter is signed in the House by Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Becca Balint (D-VT-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Bennie Thompson (D-MS-02), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51), Diana DeGette (D-CO-01), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Al Green (D-TX-09), Deborah Ross (D-NC-02), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), and Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10).
Following Mr. Khalil’s unlawful arrest and detention, Senator Welch led colleagues in demanding answers and all written material from DHS and the State Department about Mr. Khalil’s case.
Read and download the lawmakers’ full letter to the Department of Homeland Security and State Department.
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