This weekend, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested former Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, threatening to revoke his green card due to his participation in pro-Palestine student protests.

In response, Debra Hauser, President of national youth activism nonprofit Advocates for Youth, issued the following statement:

“President Trump’s willingness to detain protesters on the basis of ideology is a threat to democracy. By illegally arresting Mahmoud Khalil, the Trump administration signals it will stop at nothing to silence dissent. 

Campus protests are at the heart of movements for peace and justice, and young people must be able to organize for the causes they believe in without jeopardizing their physical safety or immigration status. The Trump administration’s high-profile and highly-publicized arrest and deportation spree fuels rampant, dangerous anti-immigrant sentiment and exacerbates racist propaganda from the highest levels of government.

In this country and in every country, no one should face government retaliation, deportation or police violence because of their activism or beliefs. We must speak out against illegal detention – for Mahmoud Khalil, and for all of us.” 

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Advocates for Youth is a 501(c)3 organization that champions efforts that help young people make informed decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates for Youth boldly advocates for a more positive and realistic approach to adolescent sexual health, focusing its work on young people ages 14-24 in the U.S. and around the globe.