While Columbia University can afford to pay the government $200 million in order to unfreeze federal grants and contracts it was awarded, many other universities and colleges could not.
"Columbia has effectively waived the white flag of surrender in its battle at the heart of the Trump administration's war on higher education and academic freedom," said Rep. Jerry Nadler.
"The detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student activist and lawful permanent resident, is an attack on human rights by the Trump administration," said Amnesty International USA.
The US government is weaponizing antisemitism as an excuse to kidnap and deport even lawful permanent residents.
Columbia students are banding together as ICE and the NYPD target Palestine activism. " is willing to give the Trump administration whatever it wants," one student tells Mondoweiss. "But that…
Watch Katherine Franke break down the Mahmoud Khalil case and its dire implications for free speech in America.
Liberal institutions, including universities, traditionally surrender without a fight to the dictates of autocrats. Ours are no exception.
“I have always believed that my duty is not only to liberate myself from the oppressor, but also to liberate my oppressors from their hatred and fear.”
"We know what happens when an autocratic regime starts taking away our rights and scapegoating and we will not be silent."
Trump is promising more arrests and deportations of students who have protested in support of Palestine.
Khalil’s detention is the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s crackdown on supporters of Palestinian rights under the pretext of fighting “anti-Semitism” and support for “terrorism.”
"She finally got the memo," said Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine. "Any future president who does not pay heed to the Columbia student body's overwhelming demand for divestment will…
The author of the 106-page piece said the suppression attempt is "reflective of a pervasive and alarming Palestine exception to academic freedom."
Editor’s note: The University of Southern California recently cancelled the commencement address of its pro-Palestinian Muslim valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, after pressure from Jewish groups, and as of today has also…
