Students, professors warn the freedom of speech under threat after the arrest of students
Students and professors in Chicago are worried about that President Donald TrumpThe reduction of anti-Semitism at the college campuses, including the custody and possible deportation of anti-Israeli activists of the Columbia University, will have a cooled effect at the Academy.
“If this campaign of fear (from Trump’s administration) worked, I wonder who will be left to defend critical thinking at the American Academy,” said Madalin, an international doctoral student at Northwestern University for Chicago Tribune.
Local students and professors who talked tribune They were scared after Columbia Anti-Israel protester Mahmoud Khalil was arrested last weekend for his involvement in unrest in the campus.
Rubio pushed against Mahmoud Khalil’s defender, ‘Not about free speech’
Mahmoud Khalil, left and protesters, right (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, Left, Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images, right.)
Madalin said that the arrest of activists showed that some universities turned into “associates” with Trump’s administration and feared that her own progressive university could be as follows.
“We’ll say things like” at least it’s a liberal university; They may be able to give their names not to the ice, “she said in the report.” But if it happens – if they are under pressure – I wouldn’t be shocked if they were. I don’t believe in the charity of this institution. “
Genevieve Lakier, a professor of rights at the University of Chicago, who also spoke with Tribune, said she believed Trump’s executive actions were unconstitutional, but that universities would probably feel pressure to break the student protests.
Columbia Anti-Israel protester Mahmoud Khalil to stay detained in Louisiani
New York, New York – 02 February: Protesters demonstrated near the University of Columbia 02 February 2024 in New York. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
“If you deport people because you do not like the protests you are dealing with, it is a classic discrimination of the stop,” Lakier said.
“We have no idea where we are heading, but it is possible to imagine a world where very few students have been deported, but there are many publicity about a few who are or whose visa status is caused,” she added. “It brings fear to everyone else. I think it’s important not only to think about how many people were kicked out of the country, but a clear goal is to influence what is happening in the country in a continuous way.”
In January, Trump signed an executive order to fight anti -Semitism at the college campuses and warned foreign students in the US who were sympathetic Hamas to be deported.
“We’ll find, catch and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country – never come back again,” Trump Posted on Truthsocial On Monday in the announcement of Khalil’s arrest. “If you support terrorism, including the slaughter of innocent men, women and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests and you are not welcome here.”
Protesters supporting Mahmoud Khalil occupies Trump Tower Lobby
Student protester Maša Masha Palestinian flag on their camp at the Columbia University Campus, on Monday, April 29, 2024, New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Khalil, who was born in Syria Palestinian parents received a student visa to enter the US to attend Columbia in 2022. Since then, he has gained a green card and is married to an American citizen who has been allegedly a pregnant eight months.
“Khalil led the activities aligned with Hamas, a particular terrorist organization”, the Ministry of Homeland Security He said about his arrest.
Federal judge Jesse M. Furman ordered Khalil on Monday that Khalil would not be deported while the court considers the legal challenge brought by his lawyers.
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Protesters gather against the arrest of former Columbia Mahmoud Khalil graduate in New York, USA, on Saturday, March 10, 2025. (Stephanie Keith for Fox News Digital)
Free speech Groups and other civil rights organizations criticized Khalil’s custody as a violation of his rights of the first amendment to freedom of expression, saying that Trump’s administration wants to suppress the speech with which he disagrees.
“This is America. We do not throw people into custody centers because of their politics. It issues our national commitment to freedom of speech” Ecclesiastical Rights Foundation and Expression he said in a statement.
State Secretary Marco Rubio She defended herself Khalil’s arrest, saying that now they should not assign visas to Hamas’s sympathizers.
“It’s not a free speech here,” Rubio said the media on Wednesday. “This is about people who are not entitled to be in the United States to begin with. No one has the right to a student visa. No one has the right to a green ticket.”
Fox News’ Landon Mion and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
