1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:02,239 Speaker 1: What you're going to be under arrest? 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 2: Sound turnaround. 3 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Phone Okay. 4 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 3: On March eighth of this year, Homeland Security agents dressed 5 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,280 Speaker 3: in plane clothes went to the home of Columbia University 6 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 3: graduate school student and Palestinian activist Mamourhalil. They handcuffed him 7 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 3: in the lobby of the Columbia owned apartment building where 8 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 3: he lives. They put him into an unmarked car and 9 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,599 Speaker 3: took him into immigration custody. The scene was captured by 10 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 3: Mahmood's wife, nour Abdalla, who is eight months pregnant. She 11 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 3: followed the agents asking for their names while she had 12 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:45,160 Speaker 3: a lawyer on the phone. 13 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: He let me ask can can we get a name please? 14 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:51,879 Speaker 1: Of can we get your name? 15 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 3: Our name? 16 00:00:55,240 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, immigration custody and I'm sorry, can you repeat that. 17 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 4: We're taking to immigration custody at twenty six Federal PLAUSA. 18 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 3: Noud is a US citizen watching her husband get taken 19 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 3: out of nowhere and disappeared. Mahood himself is a US 20 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 3: permanent resident, which means he has a valid Green card. 21 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 3: Now I'm going to say this again. He is a 22 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 3: legal permanent resident of the United States holding a Green card. 23 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 3: But despite all of that. The agents took him first 24 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,039 Speaker 3: to twenty six Federal Plaza in downtown Manhattan, as the 25 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 3: agents told his wife, then to a detention facility in Elizabeth, 26 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 3: New Jersey, and then to an immigration detention camp thirteen 27 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 3: hundred miles south in Louisiana. A day after Mahoud's arrest, 28 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 3: Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on x saying the 29 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 3: US would be revoking the visa and green cards of 30 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 3: quote hamas supporters. But here's the thing. Mahmoud has not 31 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 3: been charged with any crime, and the Trump administration has 32 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 3: not provided any support or evidence for their claims that 33 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 3: Mahmoud is in any way connected to terrorists. Even the 34 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:23,399 Speaker 3: Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, in an interview with NPR's 35 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 3: Michelle Martin, was unable to say what exactly it is 36 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 3: that Mahmood is suspected of doing. 37 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: What did he do? He splut himself in the middle 38 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 1: of the process to basically pro palas in the inactivity. 39 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 3: Is any criticism of the Israeli government, a deportable offense or. 40 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,839 Speaker 5: Into the country on the student visa. At any point 41 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:45,639 Speaker 5: we can go through and. 42 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: Evaluate what his status is. Any criticism of the United 43 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: States government a deportable offense if he came in and 44 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: filled out the form and said I want a student visa, 45 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: they asked him what is protesting a deportable offense? 46 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 3: As his lawyers argue, Mahmood was simply exercising his right 47 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 3: to free speech as a student activist, organizing for Palestine 48 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 3: and calling for an end to the atrocities in Gasa. 49 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 3: As you can hear him right here back in April 50 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 3: of twenty twenty four. 51 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,959 Speaker 2: The students on this encampment at a gift to Columbia. 52 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 2: We offered to give the university back at the principles, 53 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 2: and instead of being proud of it, the students and 54 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 2: faculty for raising these incredibly important moral questions we have 55 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 2: been head with little more than threats and petty attacks. 56 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 3: Political speech is supposed to be protected under the First 57 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 3: Amendment in the United States, right, Well, Mahmood's case is 58 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 3: putting all of that into question. Where will the Trump 59 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 3: administration draw the line at international students like Mahmood, at 60 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 3: all immigrants, or is any person in this country speaking 61 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 3: out in ways the government doesn't like? Also fair game 62 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 3: now from futro media and PRX. It's Latino USA. I'm 63 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 3: Mario Josa today the Mahmur Khalil case and the war 64 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 3: on dissent. To understand this case more and to get 65 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 3: context on what warning signals we should all take from it, 66 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 3: I sit down with one of Mamur Khalil's lawyers. Ramsey Cussim, 67 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 3: is a professor of law at the City University of 68 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 3: New York, where he founded the Legal Clinic Clear Professor 69 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 3: Ramsey Cussim, Welcome to Latino, USA. 70 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for having me Adia, Ramsey. 71 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 3: How are you doing. Just give us an update, like 72 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 3: how you are feeling, what's your emotional state? 73 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: Well, the last two weeks haven't left much room for 74 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:05,039 Speaker 1: me to check in with my emotional state and my 75 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: well being. My my colleagues and I have been and 76 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: my students as well have been caught up in trying 77 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: to get one of our clients, Mahmoud Khalil, who is 78 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: a student activist the Columbia released from iced attention. 79 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 3: Let's talk about Mahmoud Rahlil. He was targeted because of 80 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 3: his pro Palestine organizing at Columbia University. Targeted for calling 81 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 3: for an end to the War on GASA. The student 82 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 3: encampments that we saw last year were met with police 83 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 3: in riot gear, state troopers, even threats to call International Guard. 84 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 3: Thousands of students across the country were arrested. So how 85 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 3: did the militant response at Columbia University enabled Trump to 86 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 3: now remove some of those same students and other students 87 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 3: from the country. 88 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: Well, it is so crucially important for you to situate 89 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: the current moment in the long history and legacy and 90 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 1: tradition even of protests at Columbia University. Every generation of 91 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: Columbia student has taken over Hamilton Hall, during the Civil 92 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: rights era, during the anti apartheid movement, during the Black 93 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: Lives Matter movement, against the Vietnam War, every conceivable major 94 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: public cars has led Columbia students to protest and to 95 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: occupy Hamilton Hall and other buildings on that campus. The 96 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 1: police were called in nineteen sixty eight and not since then. 97 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: And so for Columbia to call in the police twice 98 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,839 Speaker 1: to quash students exercising their speech rights and speaking up 99 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: in support of Palestinians and speaking against the mass atrocities 100 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,599 Speaker 1: and guys are perpetrated by the Israeli government with the 101 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,719 Speaker 1: direct financial, military, and diplomatic support of the United States. 102 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: For the university to respond in that way was already 103 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: shameful enough, and to discipline students and to expel them. 104 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 1: But for that same university that did all of these 105 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 1: things over the course of the last year and change, 106 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: and to have done them in the name of protecting 107 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: students and standing up for student safety, for that university 108 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: to be completely missing in action, if not outright complicit, 109 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: when it's same students are being picked up by Ice 110 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: at night and disappeared and whisked away a thousand miles 111 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: to Louisiana, when Ice is rating Columbia students dorms, and 112 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: for the university to say nothing about that, to say 113 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: nothing in defense of those students, is outright shameful. And 114 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 1: everybody understands that money is at stake, and that's what 115 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: this is about. But then the hypocrisy becomes that much 116 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: more plain. An institution that claims to stand up for 117 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: principles is really just about profit and is just worried 118 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: that the Trump administration will deprive Columbia of the balance 119 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: that are obtains from the federal government as part of 120 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: his annual operating revenue. Right, so it's all about money 121 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: and everything else. All the talk of principle and protecting 122 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: students was just hollow, and so I hope the university 123 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: will correct course. I know that the faculty feel very 124 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: strongly about it. The majority of the faculty, the majority 125 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: of the student body are outraged by what happened to 126 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 1: mister Khalil. But the university has been missing in action, 127 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: not just for him, but for many others, and has 128 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 1: been actually actively contributing to the harm by expelling students, 129 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: evicting students, taking away their diplomas, putting them into disciplinary 130 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: proceedings before you know, these inquisitions that have cough kisque 131 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 1: names like the Office of Institutional Integrity and things like that. 132 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:49,719 Speaker 1: You know, the Secretary of State pointed to really obscure 133 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 1: immigration law that basically says anytime a non citizen, you know, 134 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: through their actions or their presence, might cause potentially serious 135 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 1: adverse foreign policy consequences, that the Secretary of State and 136 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: is or her discretion could just put them into removal proceedings. 137 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:12,959 Speaker 1: That law obviously cannot trump the First Amendment, and historically 138 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: it's been very rarely used, and it certainly hasn't been 139 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: used to just disappear and deport people that the White 140 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 1: House happened to disagree with. 141 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 3: You're a graduate of Columbia College. I'm a graduate of 142 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 3: Barnard College, part of Columbia University. This is the same 143 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 3: university that is allowing ice. First it was just the NYPD. 144 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 3: Now it's ice on the campus, right. I mean, it 145 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 3: is an incredible moment. So how worried are you, Ramsey 146 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 3: about the erosion of free speech in the United States 147 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 3: and of the government punishing, detaining, deporting people for political speech. 148 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 1: How worried are you? I think that is absolute. The goal. 149 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:06,839 Speaker 1: The goal is to silence dissent. That's why the response 150 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,959 Speaker 1: that we're seeing not just in the courts and not 151 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: just in the media, but on the streets as well, 152 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 1: is that much more important. It is crucial. This is 153 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: not just about mister Khalil. It's not just about folks 154 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: who believe in the rights of Palestinians and their right 155 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:27,679 Speaker 1: to live. It is about everyone's freedom of speech and 156 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 1: everyone's due process rights. Because what this government, what the 157 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: Trump administration is trying to do to mister Khalil, is 158 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:40,839 Speaker 1: a blueprint. It's a template, and if they are able 159 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 1: to get away with it. Then they will apply that template. 160 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: They will replicate that blueprint as to every other issue 161 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: set that they happen to disagree with ideologically. So if 162 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: you're protesting for racial justice, for the rights of black 163 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: people in this country, if you're protesting for immigrant rights 164 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: right as a member of the LGBTQ community, if you 165 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 1: are standing up for the reproductive rights of women, any 166 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 1: number of issues that this administration happens to disagree with, 167 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: it'll have a template that it can apply to try 168 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: to stifle speech. It'll start with non citizens, including Green 169 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: card holders, who are considered under the law to be 170 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: US persons lawful permanent residence. It'll try to break those 171 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 1: folks off by detaining them, deporting them in order to 172 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: silence that part of whatever movement it happens to this like. 173 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: And then it'll apply that same logic as you're suggesting 174 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: Maria to naturalized citizens, because that logic knows no limits 175 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 1: and it's not at all far fetched. In fact, I've 176 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: handled cases where the government has come in and said, well, 177 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 1: you know, you espoused this opinion within a certain number 178 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: of years of your naturalization. Therefore you must have believed 179 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:00,440 Speaker 1: that when you naturalize or you must have been a 180 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: member of such and such group when you naturalize, but 181 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: you didn't put that down on your form, And because 182 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: you didn't put that down on your form, your naturalization 183 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:12,319 Speaker 1: was fraudulently obtained, or your visa is fraudulently obtained, or 184 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 1: we're going to take that away from you. Right. So 185 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 1: that's why mister Halil's case is important. Whether or not 186 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: you believe in Palestinian rights, I happen to and I 187 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,439 Speaker 1: think everything that mister Khalil stands for is on the 188 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: right side of history and on the right side of justice. 189 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: But even if you're agnostic as to the ongoing state 190 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 1: of affairs in Palestine, you know Israel having resumed it's 191 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:38,199 Speaker 1: unrelenting assault on primarily women and children in Gaza, even 192 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 1: if you don't know anything about that. But you care 193 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 1: about the ability of people in this country to speak 194 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,959 Speaker 1: freely and to critique the US government and any government, 195 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: And you care about you process and the fact that 196 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 1: people should be able to walk around without worrying that 197 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 1: government agents might just show up and take them away 198 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 1: at night when they're coming home from dinner with their spouse. Right, 199 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: if you care about those things, you care about what 200 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 1: happens to mister Khalil and to the others who are 201 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,959 Speaker 1: in a similar predicament right now. These are test cases. 202 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 3: Coming up on let you know usay I continue my 203 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 3: conversation with Ramzi Kassem. We talk more about the limits 204 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 3: of free speech and how social media plays a role 205 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 3: in all of this. 206 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:27,679 Speaker 1: With this right wing media spear, this extremist racist media 207 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: spear that is tarring mostly people of color and anybody 208 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: who's critical of its agenda on a number of fronts. 209 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: They're marking targets for the right, They're marking targets for 210 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: the government. They're providing lists of names, they're putting pressure 211 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 1: on officials. 212 00:13:43,200 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 3: Stay with us, yes, Hey, we're back with Romsey Cussim, 213 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 3: the lawyer for Makmukhalil. So let's get back to my 214 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 3: conversation where I ask Ramsey about the history of targeting 215 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 3: political activists in the United States, especially thinking back to 216 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 3: the summer of twenty twenty, when we know some people 217 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 3: ended up in ice detention because of protests. Is there 218 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 3: something that has up the ante as it were? 219 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: I would say what probably sets this apart is the 220 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: claim that the government can do this simply because Marco Rubio, 221 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: the Secretary of State, believes that mister Khalil's presence or 222 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: activities in the United States would have potentially serious adverse 223 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: foreign policy consequences. I mean, as vague as that sounds. 224 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: That is one of the provisions of law that they 225 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: are relying on in mister Khalil's case, in his immigration 226 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: case to put him in removal proceedings even though he's 227 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: a Green card holder with no prior is, no convictions, 228 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: he was never arrested. That is their justification for detaining 229 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: him a Louisiana, a thousand plus miles away from his family, 230 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: his home, his community, and his federal habeas corpus case 231 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: in federal court here in the New York City area. 232 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 1: So that to me is what sets this apart. Because 233 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 1: if they're able to establish this precedent, then where's the line. 234 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: You know, they could They might pick up a Mexican 235 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: activist who's critical of the Mexican government, or a Chinese 236 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: Green card holder here in the United States who's outspoken 237 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: against China's atrocities, against Oigur's or any set of issues 238 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: adverse to the Chinese government. They could pick that green 239 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: card holder up and put them in dissension and try 240 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: to deport them and say while we're doing it, because 241 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 1: the Mexican government didn't like what this person had to say, 242 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: or the Chinese government didn't like what this person had 243 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: to say, and in Marco Rubio's view or whoever happens 244 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 1: to be the Secretary of State, that's a risk of, 245 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 1: you know, potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences. It's going 246 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: to impact our relationship with China or with Mexico. Therefore, 247 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: this green card holder has to go. And there is 248 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 1: no limiting principle to that sort of logic, which is 249 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: why this law either as applied to mister Khalil here, 250 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 1: because what we're talking about here is a speech and 251 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: nothing else. The fact that he has been critical of 252 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 1: US foreign policy towards Israel and Palestine, that he's been 253 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 1: critical towards the Israeli government and what it's doing in Gaza, 254 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: and beyond that he stood up for Palstinian lives like that. 255 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 1: That's what this case is about. 256 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 3: By the way, to interrupt you, the Pope just went 257 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 3: on social media to say and criticize the Israeli government 258 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 3: for killing women and children. 259 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 1: The Pope, yeah, and that's what mister Khalil has said 260 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: and has stood for since Israel's unrelenting assault on civilians 261 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 1: in Gaza began in twenty twenty three. And so if 262 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: the Pope were here as a visa holder or as 263 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: a green car holder, I suppose he would be detained 264 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 1: and deported or excluded as well. And so that logic 265 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: knows no limits. 266 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:18,119 Speaker 3: So in the lead up to his arrest, Mahmoud was 267 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 3: docked online videos and photos of Mahmoud at protests started 268 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 3: to circulate on social media. People tagged Secretary of State 269 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:33,200 Speaker 3: Marco Rubio on X demanding that the government deport Mahmoud. 270 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 3: So you talk about people taking to the streets, but 271 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 3: what about the threats that people face not only when 272 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 3: they're on the streets and in their homes, but also 273 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 3: on social media. 274 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: I'm so glad that you are bringing that up, Maria. 275 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: You know, one of the things I asked the federal 276 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: judge to do was to order the government to allow 277 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 1: us to have calls with mister Khalil, because we you know, 278 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: since his detention, his lawyers had not been able to 279 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: speak to them, and the court ordered that, and I've 280 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 1: been able to speak with mister Halil on number of occasions, 281 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 1: and those conversations are obviously privileged. But some of what 282 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: he said, unrelated to his case, was that to stress 283 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 1: the weight and the impact and the harms of doxing 284 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 1: and the smear campaigns that he and other activists and 285 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 1: academics have been the victims of just because they're criticizing 286 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 1: US foreign policy and just because they're standing up for 287 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 1: the rights of Palestinians. Mamod's point is that too has 288 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 1: an impact on freedom of speech. That is the goal 289 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:39,399 Speaker 1: behind doxing and all these smear campaigns is to silence people. 290 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:43,200 Speaker 1: And the university again Columbia has stood by and allowed 291 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 1: its students and faculty and members of its community to 292 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 1: be dosed and has done nothing. 293 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 3: So do you actually think that the Trump administration is 294 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 3: being influenced by what's happening on social media? 295 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: No doubt. And it's even worse than that. This right 296 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 1: wing media fear, this extremist racist media sphere that is 297 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 1: tarring mostly people of color and anybody who's critical of 298 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 1: its agenda on a number of fronts. They're marking targets 299 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,440 Speaker 1: for the right, They're marking targets for the government, they're 300 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:18,639 Speaker 1: providing lists of names, they're putting pressure on officials. 301 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 4: You know. 302 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 1: The Forward had an article about how, you know, a 303 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:29,639 Speaker 1: wealthy trustee at Columbia had meetings with government officials and 304 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: the Trump administration, senior government officials and pushed for them 305 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:36,120 Speaker 1: to take action against mister Khalil prior to mister Khalil's 306 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:40,119 Speaker 1: attention by Ice. And so that that continuum between you know, 307 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: the docs and the marking of people, this meaning of people, 308 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: to have that translate into kinetic government action of the 309 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: sort that we saw with you know, mister Khalil being 310 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 1: taken by Ice agents. That's particularly troubling. 311 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 3: What are you doing to keep yourself fortified though, because 312 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:15,080 Speaker 3: this is a worldwide international battle and Frankly Ramsey year 313 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 3: at the center of it. 314 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, there's a lot of strength to be found 315 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: in community. Whether it's the community of students and faculty 316 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: that I have a QUNI Law School at the City 317 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,639 Speaker 1: University of New York, whether it's the community of lawyers 318 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: that we have a clear My nonprofit, and whether it's 319 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:35,479 Speaker 1: in the broader community of people who are standing up 320 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:38,200 Speaker 1: for justice, for the rights of Palestinians, for the lives 321 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 1: of Palestinians. For mister Khalil's a right to be back 322 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:45,160 Speaker 1: at home with his wife and to see the birth 323 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,680 Speaker 1: of their first child. And also this is the month 324 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: of Ramadan. Many of us on the legal team are 325 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 1: Muslim and are observing the fasts, and so there's a 326 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:56,440 Speaker 1: lot of strength to be drawn from, you know, being 327 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: in community after sunset to breakfast, and there's been a 328 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: lot of within the Muslim communities, but frankly from every 329 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 1: community you can think of in the United States. People 330 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: are outraged, rightly so, by what the government is trying 331 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: to do to mister Cabil and to others. At this point, 332 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: there are other cases, some of which are public, some 333 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:19,399 Speaker 1: of which will be soon, and so the sense of 334 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 1: outrage and indignation is perfectly appropriate, and I think it's 335 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 1: part of the backlash that the White House did not anticipate, 336 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,919 Speaker 1: where pretty much across the political spectrum there's been an 337 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: expression of indignation over this claim by the government that 338 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: it can simply detain and risk away somebody to a 339 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: detention site in Louisiana, a thousand miles away, a Green 340 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 1: card holder a permanent residence, simply because what he stands 341 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:51,920 Speaker 1: for the end of an ongoing genocide in Palestine, and 342 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: his outspokenness as a critic of US foreign policy is 343 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 1: something that the White House disagrees with, and because they 344 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 1: disagree with it, they can put someone into removal proceedings. 345 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 1: That idea has been offensive, not just to focus on 346 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: the left, but also to focus on the political right, 347 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 1: which I think has come to some surprise to the administration. 348 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 3: So Ramsey, a lot of people find themselves doing a 349 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 3: lot of doom scrolling you every morning there's yet another 350 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:31,159 Speaker 3: series of events. It is the idea, as Stephen Miller 351 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 3: has said, to flood the zone, to confuse us all 352 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 3: so that people just basically say, there's nothing I can do. 353 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 3: So how do we understand hope in this moment? Where 354 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 3: do you find hope? 355 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,080 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know that we have a choice 356 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:49,280 Speaker 1: but to hope and to struggle together. And I think 357 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 1: that's not a destination. It's sort of a never ending 358 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: process and journey. And maybe we're at an especially heightened 359 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,719 Speaker 1: stage in that journey. Aren't acute stage of the journey 360 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 1: where the struggle seems especially difficult. But there's strength to 361 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:05,960 Speaker 1: be drawn from the fact that you know people are 362 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 1: not cow they're out, they're speaking their minds, they're defiant. 363 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 1: You know, people I think of late have quite appropriately 364 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:18,440 Speaker 1: been quoting James Baldwin's letter to Angela Davis, where or 365 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: he wrote, you know, if they take you in the morning, 366 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: they'll be coming for us that night. And I think 367 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: that's appropriate. I think there's truth to that in this 368 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: moment where you know, maybe happening to mister Khalil right now, 369 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: or maybe happening to the Venezuela and men who are 370 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:37,880 Speaker 1: being taken to Guantanamo. But rest assured that if we 371 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 1: don't draw a line, if we don't enforce that line, 372 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 1: if we don't do something and stand up, then it 373 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 1: will happen to us or to the people we care about. 374 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 1: We're already seeing it. And I you know, I come 375 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:51,720 Speaker 1: from part of the world. I grew up in the 376 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:55,960 Speaker 1: Middle East. I grew up during wartime and anarchy in 377 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:59,160 Speaker 1: different countries. And you know, one lesson I took away 378 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: from that is that people have a remarkable ability to 379 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:06,440 Speaker 1: come together and survive and thrive even and the most 380 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 1: difficult circumstances, and that you know, oftentimes it isn't governments 381 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: or police forces or armies that keep us safe, but 382 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 1: really the good faith and protection of others around us 383 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:20,680 Speaker 1: and our communities. And so I think we can start there. 384 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 1: We can start sort of small and build up. But 385 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: for each and every one of us, I think if 386 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:26,879 Speaker 1: you look around, there's something that you can do to 387 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,199 Speaker 1: lodge you or discontent, to express your discontent and to 388 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,359 Speaker 1: take action. And I think all of us can do 389 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 1: some version of that in response to what's being done 390 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:36,760 Speaker 1: to mister cabill and in responds to a whole host 391 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,239 Speaker 1: of issues. I mean, part of you know, you were 392 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,119 Speaker 1: talking about the flood, the zone strategy, and part of 393 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 1: that is to keep us distracted so we can't focus 394 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 1: on any single thing. But some of us are going 395 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: to be better equipped to respond to the assault on 396 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: some issues than we are on others. And I think 397 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:55,880 Speaker 1: we can kind of divide and conquer the problem that way. 398 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:59,880 Speaker 1: Their resources, even though they hold the levers of power 399 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 1: the US government, their resources are not infinite. They are 400 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: not all knowing or omnipotent, and they can also lose. 401 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,119 Speaker 1: They can also lose, and inevitably they will lose. I 402 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: think it's just a matter of time and manner like 403 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: when and how. 404 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:23,440 Speaker 3: Ramsey Caussen. Thank you so much for speaking to us 405 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,360 Speaker 3: on Latino USA, and best of luck to you for 406 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:27,679 Speaker 3: defending our democracy. 407 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:30,399 Speaker 4: Thank you so much, Maria for your work and for 408 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:46,640 Speaker 4: this opportunity. 409 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:54,880 Speaker 3: This episode was produced by Nur Saudi and edited by 410 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 3: Fernando Echavari. It was mixed by Gabrielle Lebias. The Latino 411 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 3: You Say Team also includes Broxanna Guire, Julia Caruso, Felicia Dominguez, 412 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 3: Jessica Ellis, Victoria Estrada, Dominique Inestrosa Rinaldo, leanoz Junior, Stephanie Lebau, 413 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 3: Andrea Lopez Gruzado, Luis Luna, Marta Martinez, Monica Moreles Garcia, 414 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 3: JJ Carubin, Tasha Sandoval and Nancy Trujillo, Pennede Ramirez, Marlon Bishop, 415 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 3: Maria Garcia and I are co executive producers and I'm 416 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 3: your host, MARIAOJSA. Join us again on our next episode. 417 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 3: In the meantime, I'll see you on all of the 418 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:36,680 Speaker 3: social media, and remember nottreva Yes Ciao. 419 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 5: Latino USA is made possible in part by the John D. 420 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 5: And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Ford Foundation, working with 421 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 5: visionaries on the front lines of social change worldwide, and 422 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:59,480 Speaker 5: funding for Latino USA is. Coverage of a culture of 423 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 5: health is made possible, in part by a grant from 424 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 5: the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation