The First Amendment isn’t a suggestion. Why do so many people in power think it is? I read an article in The Wall Street Journal about ICE agents raiding an apartment near Columbia University, arresting Mahmoud Khalil, and starting the process of revoking his green card. His supposed crime is pro-Palestinian activism, anti-Semitism, and anti-Americanism. If these are the sole reasons then the only people behaving in an anti-American fashion is President Trump and his administration. These actions are about the government deciding what you’re allowed to say. What are we, Europe or the UK?
The White House official said the department found that Khalil had participated in pro-Hamas rallies and in distributing fliers. The agency presented the information to Secretary of State Marco Rubio who personally signed off on revoking his legal status. The administration says it is not about free speech, it’s about national security.
Wall Street Journal
According to the Wall Street Journal article, Khalil is a legal permanent resident and a green card holder. This means he is entitled to First Amendment protections regarding speech. He’s also entitled to due process and ICE didn’t have a warrant. Yet Khalil has been detained. The article only reports that Khalil was involved in pro-Palestinian protests on campus. If true, this puts every American in danger of being jailed for saying the wrong thing. Did we learn nothing from the silencing of half the population during COVID?
Trump’s excuse is antisemitism. But so what. Hate speech is protected speech. The First Amendment doesn’t care who the speech offends. If we start deporting people for their views, where does it stop? This isn’t about protecting Jewish communities either, it’s about control. It’s about the government deciding what’s acceptable and punishing anyone who steps out of line. That’s not liberty. That’s a slippery slope to where dissent gets you booted from the country.
The answer isn’t to shred the Constitution or turn ICE into the thought police. If Khalil is really a terrorist, charge him, prove it in court, and lock him up. If we let the government deport people for their speech, we’re losing OUR principles and OUR freedom.
I’m a free speech absolutist in the extreme. Words are just words and they only have power you give them. If what’s reported is true no one should support this action by the Trump Administration.