/leftypol/ - Leftist Politically Incorrect

Will MAGAtards take a stand against this blatant attack on free speech?

https://twitter.com/theCCR/status/1899230795643929056
The Center for Constitutional Rights now suing the Trump administration over this unlawful abduction for wrongthink about Israel.

>>488053
>>488061
actual free speech absolutism is structurally incompatible with postmodern retard politics, they are all built on micromanaging the discourse in some way, they all rely on controlling narratives
youre more likely to find a genuine defense of free speech among the "apolitical" even though asserting that right is clearly political, the only "realistic" position towards free speech among the elite and counterelites involve either manipulate the concept or abandoning it entirely, oddly enough the retard left is more honest with their intentions here

>>488062
>free speech absolutism
Otherwise known as "free speech".

>>488062
t. got his conception of "the left" from Reddit

>>488053
>Will MAGAtards take a stand against this blatant attack on free speech?
Only the ones that are not hopelessly cucked by Israel.

>>488065
There's like 40% of Republicans who don't like Israel at this point, they're just not represented at all by the GOP on this.

https://x.com/cmlcornell/status/1899496773246132530
🚨 BREAKING 🚨 Cornell University Police detains at least 16 students and community members at peaceful walkout in protest of war criminals on our campus.

>>488072
>>488076
I really find it difficult to understand how students walking out of class poses any kind of threat to a university. They already paid their money for the classes and it's not like they're producing anything by learning.

>>488081
It's a mild interruption to voice disapproval, I agree actually. American resistance thus far has continued to be embarrassingly tepid - I never begrudge it myself, but we needed to be beyond this point a year ago. Is there anything I can read about organizing something more serious?

>>488081
>I really find it difficult to understand how students walking out of class poses any kind of threat to a university.
All that stuff is basic democratic political expressions. Maybe democracy is a threat to these people.

The strange thing is that if western governments had yielded to pressure from civil society, thus forcing Israel to be peaceful rather than genocidal, that would meant Israel continuing on it's previous trajectory of slowy gaining acceptance among it's neighbors. Eventually Israel would have been recognized by most governments in the region, and the Palestinian cause would have slowly faded away.

Instead what they did now pissed off a huge number of previously a-political people in the west for trampling their civil liberties. Israel's economy is ruined, the IDF is overstretched. And virtually everybody who lives in that region, which is hundreds of millions, now regards Israel as "the great evil to be vanquished". It's hard to imagine how this doesn't end with the dissolution of Israel.

https://x.com/ProudSocialist/status/1899883438636728543
Mahmoud Khalil’s lawyer: “We intend to fully vindicate not just his first amendment rights, but the first amendment rights of all Americans who wish to speak out.”

https://twitter.com/AliAbunimah/status/1899956113547632921
Ali Abunimah: My latest: NY Zionist group Betar USA, which claims credit for the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, appears not to be registered with the state, even though it is asking for charitable donations. A state employee told me that would be a violation of the law.

I've filed a complaint with the office of New York State AG Letitia James and will continue to pursue transparency of this extremist group that demanded more "blood" of Palestinian babies and which incites hatred and violence.

https://x.com/BTnewsroom/status/1899995139395002411
TODAY: Protesters gathered outside the ICE detention center in rural Jena, Louisiana where Mahmoud Khalil is being held, making noise to support him while his first hearing was taking place back in NYC. Activists say he was intentionally moved far away from his lawyers and family, and that his due process is being violated. But clearly, wherever the state puts him, he will have supporters nearby.

>>488104
What was with those protesters getting assaulted by NTPD?

>>488110
NTPD?

>>488114
maybe a T-Y typo

Protest movement is gaining traction again, but it's still nowhere near enough. It's obvious that the US gov't doesn't give a shit.

https://twitter.com/BTnewsroom/status/1900212801668337919
Jewish Voice for Peace is leading a sit-in in the lobby of Trump tower to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil.

https://twitter.com/LalehKhalili/status/1900102059405324556
This is jaw-dropping. Yale suspends a law student on the basis of a ChatGPT-generated article and then hires an Israel advocate to conduct an "investigation"

Pregnant wife of detained Palestinian Columbia University student speaks out

We have been reporting for several days on the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist at Columbia University, by the US Department of Homeland Security.

“He is the most incredible person who cares so much for other people,” his wife Noor Abdalla told the Reuters news agency. “He is the most kind, genuine soul.”

On Wednesday, Khalil’s lawyers argued to a federal judge that he had been arrested in retaliation for his outspoken advocacy against Israel’s war on Gaza. The judge extended his order blocking Khalil’s deportation while he considers whether the arrest was constitutional.

The couple are expecting their first child in late April. She said she hoped Khalil would be free by then.

“I think it would be very devastating for me and for him to meet his first child behind a glass screen,” Abdalla said. “I’ve always been so excited to have my first baby with the person I love.”

https://aje.io/ejvazw?update=3576413

>>488115
Which clip were you talking about? I assume just NYPD being NYPD.

https://twitter.com/MDiamond8/status/1900226947960996089
Jewish Voice for Peace members arrested at protest at Trump tower against the unlawful abduction of Mahmoud Khalil.

>>488121
The amount of Hasbara bots that are now showing up on Twitter to demand that American Jews be "rounded up and deported" or killed is fucking insane holy shit

>>488122
Yeah it appears Zionists are going mask off now. They increasingly sound like the original Fascists in WW2, and there is a distinct chance they are committing narrative suicide with their demands to "round up the Jews".

>>488124
Found even more. These people are fucking deranged.

BREAKING | Columbia University Sued Over Student Record Disclosure*

Mahmoud Khalil, detained pro-Palestinian Columbia graduate, and 7 other students have filed a federal lawsuit against Columbia University, Barnard College, and the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce.

The lawsuit alleges that Columbia University unlawfully disclosed private student disciplinary records to Congress in response to a House committee investigation into campus protests and alleged antisemitism. Plaintiffs claim this disclosure violated privacy laws and free speech rights.

Mahmoud Khalil, one of the plaintiffs, was arrested by ICE last week but has not been charged with any crime. He remains detained in Louisiana, with the State department attempting to revoke his green card under a controversial Communist-era immigration policy.

The House committee’s inquiry centered on 11 campus protests tied to pro-Palestinian activism. Its letter to Columbia threatened federal funding cuts if the university failed to comply. Plaintiffs argue this amounts to political intimidation targeting dissenting voices.

Advocacy group CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) and the law firm Dratel & Lewis are supporting the lawsuit. CAIR has criticized Columbia’s compliance, calling it “a betrayal of academic freedom” and an act that undermines student privacy protections.

Notably, the lawsuit seeks to block further disclosures of student records and argues that compliance with the congressional subpoena violates First Amendment protections as well as university policies designed to safeguard student privacy.

🔗 Read the full suit here: https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Columbia.pdf

via DropSite: https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/1900320085929050147

"The West" is now just short for "The West Bank."
We are all Palestinian.

https://x.com/BTnewsroom/status/1901347920936595506
HAPPENING NOW: In Boston, hundreds of protesters rally for Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil to be released from ICE.

Rights group files lawsuit to block Trump deportations of pro-Palestinian protesters
The rights group's lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's actions comes after the detention of Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) filed a lawsuit challenging as unconstitutional the Trump administration’s actions to deport international students and scholars who protest or express support for Palestinian rights.

The lawsuit, filed on Saturday in the US District Court for the Northern District of New York, seeks a nationwide temporary restraining order to block enforcement of two executive orders signed by US President Donald Trump in the first month of his second term earlier this year.

read more: https://www.newarab.com/news/rights-group-files-lawsuit-block-trump-deportations-pro-palestinian-protesters

>>488063
>>488064
not sure what your cause for complaint is

Mahmoud Khalil’s lawyers file papers seeking immediate release

Khalil’s arrest for taking part in pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University has been roundly condemned by civil liberties groups, with independent UN experts today decrying the permanent US resident’s “arbitrary detention”.

Khalil’s lawyers have now filed a motion seeking his immediate release so he can be with his wife, who is eight months pregnant. The filing also calls for the judge to bar Trump from invoking an obscure provision of the 1953 Immigration and Nationality Act, which the administration has used to justify efforts to deport Khalil.

“Forcing Mahmoud Khalil – a legal permanent resident who has not been accused of committing a single crime – to remain in detention during the birth of his first child is unconscionable,” Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement.

“The Trump administration has no right to incarcerate Mr Khalil – this is an extreme, retaliatory, and targeted attack on the First Amendment and his right to due process,” she said.

https://aje.io/b9a7n9?update=3585690

>>488252
>Monday night, Georgetown researcher Badar Khan Suri was abducted by masked DHS agents
Why do they wear masks ?
Are they the robbers, from those children's stories ?

Judge bars deportation of pro-Palestine Georgetown University student

We have been reporting on the case of Badar Khan Suri, an Indian man studying at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, who has been detained by US immigration authorities and is facing deportation for allegedly spreading pro-Hamas propaganda.

US District Judge Patricia Giles in Alexandria, Virginia, has now ordered US President Donald Trump’s administration not to deport Suri until the order is lifted.

Suri’s lawyer welcomed Thursday’s ruling and called it “the first bit of due process Dr Khan Suri has received since he was snatched from his family Monday night” outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia.

Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, is living in the US on a student visa and is married to an American citizen.

His arrest comes amid the Trump administration’s efforts to deport foreigners accused of taking part in pro-Palestine protests, including Columbia University student and US permanent resident Mahmoud Khalil.

https://aje.io/sqo826?update=3593538

University student suing Trump administration faces deportation

A Cornell University research student suing the Trump administration to stop deportations of pro-Palestinian foreign students has been ordered to surrender to immigration authorities for deportation.

The Guardian news reports that Momodou Taal, a dual citizen of the UK and The Gambia, first became aware he was being targeted for deportation when unidentified law enforcement officers came to his home seeking to detain him.

The visit took place just days after the lawsuit was filed.

In a statement published to social media, Taal’s lawyer, Eric Lee, said the government’s actions were unconstitutional.

“We are outraged, and every American should be too. We urge the population to defend the right to freedom of speech against the urgent threat of dictatorship by exercising that right actively and vigorously,” he said.

https://aje.io/lcwldb?update=3595508

https://twitter.com/DropSiteNews/status/1904296999941210375
Yunseo Chung, a 21-year-old Columbia University student, and former high school valedictorian, is suing the Trump administration over efforts to deport her. Chung, who moved to the U.S. from South Korea at age 7 and holds lawful permanent resident status, participated in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia. Following her involvement in a protest on March 5, ICE agents visited her family’s residence and searched her dorm room, claiming her presence in the U.S. obstructs the administration’s foreign policy goals. Chung’s lawsuit alleges that ICE’s actions infringe upon her freedom of expression and are part of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists.

Footage of the abduction of Tufts student Runeysa Ozturk. America is the country where masked secret police will abduct you if you criticize Israel.

US judge blocks deportation of another pro-Palestinian student activist

A New York judge has ruled that 21-year-old Yunseo Chung, a student at Columbia University, cannot be detained as she fights the Trump administration’s attempts to deport her for her pro-Palestine activism.

Naomi Reice Buchwald said government lawyers had not yet laid out enough facts about their claims that they needed to detain the student while her case against deportation plays out in court.

“What is the issue with permitting her to stay in the community and not be subjected to ICE detention while the parties participate in rational, orderly briefing?” the judge wrote, using a legal term for fleshing out arguments in court filings.

Chung’s lawyers hailed the ruling.

“As of today, Yunseo Chung no longer has to fear and live in fear of ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] coming to her doorstep and abducting her in the night,” Ramzi Kassem said.

US teacher unions sue Trump administration over ‘coercive’ funding cuts

The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) have lodged a legal complaint over the Trump administration’s decision to cut $400m in federal funding for Columbia University.

The lawsuit described the measures – tied to claims the university failed to protect Jewish students during Gaza war protests – as a “coercive tactic” aimed at curbing free expression.

“This action challenges the Trump administration’s unlawful and unprecedented effort to overpower a university’s academic autonomy and control the thought, association, scholarship, and expression of its faculty and students,” the lawsuit said.

As we’ve reported, Columbia University has already conceded to several of the government’s conditions for restoring federal funding.

They include banning face masks, empowering dozens of campus police officers with special powers to arrest students and planning to install a new provost to oversee the department of Middle East, South Asian and African Studies and the Center for Palestine Studies.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/3/26/live-israel-kills-37-in-gaza-6-in-syria-us-continues-bombing-yemen

>>488333
What i don't understand about the concept of masked secret police, how do they distinguish them selves from a gang that is kidnapping people for idk some criminal enterprise.

How long until said gangs start pretending to be masked secret police ?

>>488337
>What i don't understand about the concept of masked secret police, how do they distinguish them selves from a gang that is kidnapping people for idk some criminal enterprise.
Superficially, badges.
In reality, nothing. It's the same shit, and US support for Israel is illegal even under US law.

Mahmoud Khalil’s lawyers to appear in New Jersey court as fight for release continues

The Associated Press news agency reports that Mahmoud Khalil’s lawyers are expected to appear in a New Jersey court later today as they fight for his release from federal custody.

Pro-Palestinian student activist Khalil, 30, has been held in southern Louisiana state since his arrest on March 8 in New York as part of the Trump administration’s policy to deport foreign students who support Palestinian rights.

Khalil is a legal US resident and married to an American citizen.

The court fight in Newark will continue one that began in New York City, but which was transferred after a judge determined a federal court in New Jersey was the proper jurisdiction for the case. Among the first issues for the new judge is whether to keep the case or transfer it again.

The Trump administration wants the case moved to Louisiana where Khalil is being held in an immigration detention facility.

A growing number of university students and faculty across the country have been arrested for their pro-Palestinian views, had their visas revoked, or been prevented from entering the US.

They include an Iranian student at the University of Alabama, a Turkish student at Tufts University in Massachusetts, a Korean American student at Columbia University, a Gambian student at Cornell University in upstate New York, an Indian scholar at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and a Lebanese doctor at Brown University’s medical school in Rhode Island.

https://aje.io/ionp8v?update=3607684

New Ken Klippenstein piece:

The Trump administration is requiring that foreign students studying in, or seeking to study in the United States, pass an ideological test in order to obtain a visa, according to a “sensitive” State Department directive issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and which I obtained.

The crackdown, instituted on Tuesday, makes it “mandatory” for consular officers and State Department personnel to conduct a “social media review” — including screenshotting posts — of new and returning student visa applicants for any evidence of terrorist connections. Such connections are defined broadly to include “advocating for, sympathizing with, or persuading others to endorse or espouse terrorist activities or support” a terrorist organization. Though the document doesn’t explicitly define what counts as advocacy, it mentions “conduct that bears a hostile attitude toward U.S. citizens or U.S. culture (including government, institutions, or founding principles).”

Specific reference is made to students seeking to participate “in pro-Hamas events,” which is how the Trump administration has characterized student protests against the war in Gaza.

…

The order to “comprehensively review and screen every visa applicant” appears directed at Palestinian and other foreign students who are “sympathetic” to Hamas, but typical of every government directive, it also opens the door for broader ideological vetting. It also directs the social media of visa applicants to be assessed for “potential security and non-security related ineligibilities [that] pose a threat to U.S. national security.”

The directive, dated March 25, bears the subject line “Enhanced Screening and Social Media Vetting for Visa Applicants.” It begins with a reference to two of Trump’s executive orders, including one on “measures to combat anti-semitism” and another on combating foreign terrorists and other national security threats to public safety. The directive applies to F, M, and J student visa, which encompass:

F visa (Academic Student): Full-time students at an accredited college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, elementary school, or other academic institution or in a language training program.

M visa (Vocational Student): Students in vocational or other nonacademic programs, other than language training.

J visa (Exchange Visitors): Foreign nationals in the United States for educational, cultural, or work-related exchange programs, such as teaching, studying, conducting research, or receiving training.

…

The order requires visa decision-makers to take screenshots of “potentially derogatory information” to both document their decisions and to prevent visa applicants and holders from deleting or altering their previous posts.

What social media is reviewed and how that is done is governed by the State Department Foreign Affairs Handbook section 7 FAH-1 H-954.4, according to the directive, dealing with “Social Media Review.” That section of the handbook, though otherwise online, has not been released to the public.

I’ve included a copy of the leaked directive in its entirety below so you can see for yourself what you think. If you appreciate journalism that respects its readers intelligence enough to let them come to their own conclusions, do us a solid by becoming a paid subscriber.

read more: https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/exclusive-trump-admin-spies-on-social

Harvard University dismisses Middle Eastern Studies Centre leadership: Report

The academic leadership of Harvard University’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies have been dismissed following a pressure campaign by the Trump administration over alleged anti-Israel bias.

The development was first reported by the student newspaper The Harvard Crimson and confirmed by The New York Times.

An email sent to affiliates announced Professor Cemal Kafadar, who specialises in Turkish studies, would see out the year before stepping down as director. Associate director, Rosie Bsheer, a historian of the Middle East, was not named in the email but will also vacate her position. Both will remain on staff.

The centre was reported to have been the subject of complaints by the Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance for "anti-Semitic bias against Israel."

https://aje.io/7xd759?update=3609307

>>488359
>>488367
>>488383
The US is dismantling the international prestige of it's universities. The majority of the world thinks Zionissm is fascism, and Israel became a crazy evil rogue state. This shit will be as off-putting, as attempts of white-washing Hitler, would be.

https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/1906859957498290263
BREAKING: Pro-Palestine Student Activist Momodou Taal Leaves U.S. Amid Deportation Threats

Momodou Taal, a British Gambian pro-Palestine activist and former PhD student at Cornell University, announces that he has left the United States, following ongoing threats of deportation. Taal faced escalating pressure from the U.S. government after filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging two executive orders that targeted pro-Palestinian and anti-genocide activism.

In a statement shared on social media, Taal expresses his gratitude to those who have supported him throughout this ordeal. He recounts how the Trump administration attempted to prevent his day in court, sending ICE agents to his home and revoking his visa. Despite a court denial of his first motion, Taal had hoped a second briefing would allow him to remain in the country while the lawsuit proceeded. Taal writes, however, that he has lost faith in the U.S. legal system’s ability to guarantee his safety and freedom, explaining, “I have lost faith I could walk the streets without being abducted.”

He said the U.S. government has shown a disregard for both the judiciary and the rule of law and criticized the silence of those who have not spoken out against the ongoing genocide in Palestine: “For every person that has remained silent, just know that you are not safe either. Is the imprisonment of those who speak out against a genocide a reflection of your values? Is this the kind of nation you want to live in?”

He also writes, “The repression of Palestinian solidarity is now being used to wage a wholesale attack on any form of expression that challenges oppressive and exploitative relations in the U.S.”

Reaffirming his commitment to a liberated Palestine, and urging continued support, he said: “Do not seek to secure your personal safety by undermining the Palestinian right of resistance.”

“A world where genocidal violence can be waged with impunity is a world built on hatred and cowardice. Such a world will, over time, destroy itself entirely. The only future, the only world, we can accept is one that will have a liberated and reconstructed Gaza at its heart.”

He concludes his message expressing confidence in the eventual liberation of Palestine and with a reminder of the larger struggle and the long-term fight for justice, writing, “As sad as I feel right now, I do not despair. I have never been more confident and sure that we will win and that Palestine will be free within our lifetime. History will absolve us.”

https://twitter.com/BTnewsroom/status/1907159057162793100
HAPPENING NOW: Hundreds of Harvard University students rally against Trump, Israel’s war on Gaza, and the detainment of Mahmoud Khalil and other students speaking out against the genocide. The university has locked Harvard Yard’s gates in response.

>>488454
Haven't they tried that already?

>>488458
The rallying there or the gate locking there?
Yes to both, I assume. I could be wrong about at least one of those 2 things.

>>488482
NYPD sent in: https://x.com/mfsgottenshook/status/1907494845351890996

https://marchforpalestine.org/
Dr. Noor Abdalla, Mahmoud Khalil's wife, calls on people to show up in DC this Saturday, April 5 at 1PM, Penn. Ave & 3rd St NW: “We need to show up in large numbers and make it known that the people will never consent to the massacre in Gaza."

Mahmoud Khalil letter from detention/imprisonment in Louisiana

https://x.com/PplsCityCouncil/status/1908385994681831501
UCLA STUDENTS VISA REVOCATIONS

There are confirmed reports of over a dozen international student visa revocations across the UCs, including at UCLA. Allegedly students have been notified by their international student center, either by email or through a a portal

Pressed for evidence against Mahmoud Khalil, government cites its power to deport people for beliefs

NEW YORK (AP) — Facing a deadline from an immigration judge to turn over evidence for its attempted deportation of Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil, the federal government has instead submitted a brief memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing the Trump administration’s authority to expel noncitizens whose presence in the country damages U.S. foreign policy interests.

The two-page memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press, does not allege any criminal conduct by Khalil, a legal permanent U.S. resident and graduate student who served as spokesperson for campus activists last year during large demonstrations against Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and the war in Gaza.

Rather, Rubio wrote Khalil could be expelled for his beliefs.

read more:
https://apnews.com/article/mahmoud-khalil-columbia-university-trump-c60738368171289ae43177660def8d34

Judge rules Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil can be deported

The decision was made based on the federal government’s argument that Khalil poses “a national security risk”.

Immigration Judge Jamee Comans made the determination at the end of a nearly two-hour hearing. Khalil can appeal the ruling.

Khalil, who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the school, was detained by federal immigration agents on March 8 in New York and transferred to an immigration detention centre in Jena, Louisiana.

Khalil’s lawyers have challenged the legality of his detention, saying the Trump administration is trying to crack down on free speech. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he can deport Khalil because his presence in the US threatens the country’s foreign policy.

https://aje.io/g7odxp?update=3638180

White House has accused Mahmoud Khalil of ‘siding with terrorists’
Here are some fast facts on the arrest and planned deportation of US permanent resident Mahmoud Khalil:

Khalil isn’t accused of breaking any laws during pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University.
The government, however, says non-citizens who participate in such demonstrations should be expelled from the country for “anti-Semitic and pro-Hamas” views.
Khalil, a 30-year-old international affairs graduate student, served as a negotiator and spokesperson for student activists at Columbia who took over a campus lawn to protest Israel’s war on Gaza.
Khalil is not accused of participating in the occupation and wasn’t among people arrested in connection with the demonstrations.
The White House accused Khalil of “siding with terrorists” but has yet to cite any support for the claim.

‘Blatant violation of the first amendment’

A spokesperson for Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has delivered a message after a judge ruled he can be deported for threatening US national security.

“Despite the government’s failure to prove that he broke any law, the court has decided that lawful permanent residents can have their status revoked for pro-Palestine advocacy. This is a blatant violation of the First Amendment and a dangerous precedent for anyone who believes in freedom of speech and political expression,” she told reporters in Jena, Louisiana.

“But this decision should not pacify you, it should embolden you. Those who know Mahmoud know about his commitment to justice and his refusal to back down from even the steepest of challenges. It is Mahmoud’s fighting spirit that we must embrace in the coming days.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/4/11/israel-war-on-gaza-live-deadly-attacks-ongoing-as-strikes-intensify

Harvard University first to defy Trump’s crackdown after pro-Palestinian campus protests
Patty Culhane
Reporting from Washington, DC, United States

So, Harvard is the first university to really sound defiant, saying this violates the Constitution and our First Amendment rights and we will not allow the government to try and tell us, basically, how to run our campus. Indicating that they might be willing to fight it in court.

So, a very big shift from what we have seen from other universities. But if anyone can do it, it is Harvard. They are a very, very wealthy school with an endowment that is believed to be north of $50bn.

I think it’s pretty obvious that if Harvard had not stood up to the Trump administration, that a lot more universities would be willing to capitulate.

We saw that with Columbia University. They are trying to get back $400m in grant money, so not the $9bn that Harvard’s talking about. Columbia, they took steps to appease the Trump administration when their grants got cut, such as basically bringing in a new administration for the management of the Middle Eastern, South Asian and African studies departments. They said that they would comply with a long list of demands.

Other universities are trying to appease the Trump administration without basically capitulating. So, because Harvard is standing up, most experts in the field think that this is really the game changer, because Harvard is Harvard, and if it didn’t stand up, likely most colleges wouldn’t.

We’ve never seen a president go after universities like this, and the courts are going to be the ones to decide who wins.

https://aje.io/ous4rt?update=3644340

US judge orders pro-Palestine student be moved to Vermont

A US court has ordered immigration authorities to transfer Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk to Vermont, where her legal petition to be released from detention could be reviewed while she is present in person.

Ozturk – a graduate student at Tufts University – was arrested by plain-clothed, masked immigration agents last month over her support for Palestinian rights.

A federal judge found that Ozturk has constitutional grounds to challenge her detention, dismissing the Trump administration’s argument that federal district courts cannot review its actions on immigration.

Ozturk was moved to Louisiana after her detention in what critics say is part of a government effort to keep detainees away from their supporters and lawyers – and in conservative-leaning legal districts.

“For the foregoing reasons, the Court concludes that this case will continue in this Court with Ms Ozturk physically present for the remainder of the proceedings,” US District Judge William Sessions said.

https://aje.io/1u60tw?update=3653314

US revokes nearly 1,500 student visas: Who are the targets?
Alia Chughtai

Hundreds of students and recent graduates in the US have seen their visas revoked by immigration officials since Trump took office in January.

Many of the targets of the visa revocations and arrests are students who participated in pro-Palestine protests which erupted on campuses across the US last year amid Israel’s brutal war on Gaza.

Others are individuals with more indirect links to Palestine – or those who have shown support for Gaza on social media.

Check out our explainer here (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/18/us-revokes-nearly-1500-student-visas-who-are-the-targets) for more on the scale of visa revocations, the number of universities they span and some of the students who have been targeted.

https://aje.io/1u60tw?update=3653016

Mahmoud Khalil denied release for birth of son, says wife

Mahmoud Khalil, the pro-Palestinian activist who has been detained in the US pending his deportation, has missed the birth of his son after being refused temporary release to attend the birth, his wife has said.

Noor Abdalla said on Monday that she gave birth to the couple’s first child in New York without Khalil present, after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made the “purposeful decision” to make her family suffer.

“My son and I should not be navigating his first days on earth without Mahmoud,” Abdalla, a US citizen, said in a statement.

“ICE and the Trump administration have stolen these precious moments from our family in an attempt to silence Mahmoud’s support for Palestinian freedom.

“I will continue to fight every day for Mahmoud to come home to us,” Abdalla added. “I know when Mahmoud is freed, he will show our son how to be brave, thoughtful, and compassionate, just like his dad.”

Read more here: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/22/palestinian-activist-khalil-denied-release-for-sons-birth-wife-says

>America is turning into Russia
Welcome to the club, motherfuckers.

https://x.com/prem_thakker/status/1917051970638012425
New — Rumeysa Ozturk was supposed to be transferred to Vermont this Thursday. Instead, the Second Circuit has stalled it until a panel of judges hears the Trump admin’s arguments to keep her in Louisiana.

Rumeysa has not been accused of a crime.

She co-wrote a campus op-ed.

BREAKING | Michigan Judge Dismisses Felony Charges Against Pro-Palestine Student Protesters After AG Nessel’s Controversial Intervention

A Washtenaw County judge has dismissed all charges against seven University of Michigan students arrested during a pro-Palestinian encampment last spring—closing a months-long legal battle sparked by the state attorney general’s controversial decision to pursue felonies after local prosecutors declined.

➤ Arrested for protest: The students were charged with felony counts of resisting or obstructing police, which carried up to two years in prison. The charges stemmed from a May 21, 2024 police raid that dismantled an encampment demanding the university divest from Israeli genocide-linked weapons contractors.

➤ Defense: All seven pleaded not guilty and were represented by a team of Dearborn-based attorneys working for free, who cited deep concern over civil liberties and the state’s criminalization of student dissent.

➤ AG Nessel pushed charges: The felony charges were filed by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel—after the local Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office refused to bring them. Nessel reportedly intervened at the request of University of Michigan regents, sparking backlash from civil rights groups and elected officials who questioned the political motivations behind the prosecution.

➤ All charges dropped: On Monday, Nessel’s office moved to dismiss all remaining charges, both felony and misdemeanor, effectively closing the case.

Civil liberties groups say the case never should have been brought.
https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/1919395866625908768

BREAKING: A U.S. appeals court has ruled in favor of Rümeysa Öztürk, ordering her transfer to Vermont ahead of a key hearing that will decide whether she must be released from ICE detention while her immigration case proceeds.

Öztürk, a Turkish Ph.D. student at Tufts University, was arrested in March for co-authoring a pro-Palestinian op-ed. Her legal team argues her detention violates her constitutional rights, including free speech and due process. A Vermont federal judge had previously ordered her transfer, but the government appealed. The Second Circuit’s decision now allows her case to move forward in Vermont.
https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/1920134538799325240

https://x.com/PeoplesForumNYC/status/1922737535543017623
VICTORY! Dr. Badar Khan Suri is FREE! After enduring unjust detention by ICE, Dr. Suri has been released thanks to the relentless efforts of thousands of people nationwide refusing to back down. His detention was a blatant act of political repression—a punishment for standing in solidarity with Palestine. As we celebrate Dr. Suri’s release, we remain committed to the fight for all those still targeted for bravely standing with the people of Palestine. Free Mahmoud! Free them all! Free Palestine!

https://x.com/pslnational/status/1928172707180347568
TODAY: New Yorkers rallied outside of the immigration court hearing of Columbia student Yunseo Chung in protest of the attempt to target and deport her for standing against US-funded genocide in Palestine.

Protesting genocide is not a crime! Hands off Yunseo!

>>489653
maybe the legal norms will change, and abuse of power will become the default assumption. And proof of legitimate use of power will become a requirement.

U.S. Government and Private Groups Coordinated to Target Palestinian Student Activists, FOIA Filing Alleges

The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) has filed a sweeping Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on behalf of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian-American and lawful permanent resident who has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since March 8, 2025. The filing accuses federal agencies of colluding with private anti-Palestinian organizations to detain and deport student activists engaged in pro-Palestine advocacy, and seeks records from the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, State, and ICE.

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…


The Alleged Role of Private Anti-Palestinian Groups

The FOIA request names over a dozen groups accused of coordinating to surveil, doxx, and target pro-Palestine students—often focusing on noncitizens—in an effort to trigger deportation. The groups include:

➤ Betar USA: A militant Zionist group that created a “deport list” of student activists, including Khalil.

➤ Canary Mission: A blacklisting site with ties to the Israeli government, responsible for posting Khalil’s profile and videos of him.

➤ Documenting Jew Hatred on Campus: Maintains a Columbia University archive highlighting foreign students and pressuring universities and government agencies to act.

➤ Shirion Collective: A surveillance group that shared a memo with DHS detailing the legal rationale for Khalil’s detention.

➤ Columbia Alumni for Israel: A WhatsApp-based network of over 1,000 alumni and parents reportedly sharing student information with federal officials.

➤ Middle East Forum, CAMERA, Capital Research Center: Think tanks and media outlets that have published articles pushing for deportations and supplied material used in government filings against Khalil.

The request also implicates specific individuals—including Columbia faculty like Shai Davidai, public figures like Mark Goldfeder, and political operatives like Ross Glick—for pressuring officials and amplifying misinformation about Khalil’s immigration status.

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Evidence of Government Coordination

The FOIA alleges that federal agencies acted on intelligence provided by these groups. Examples cited include:

➤ ICE agents repeating misinformation during Khalil’s arrest, including a false claim that his student visa had been revoked.

➤ Direct meetings between Betar members and senators including Ted Cruz, John Fetterman, and James Lankford, with promises to escalate Khalil’s case.

➤ DHS receiving and responding to memos and tips prepared by groups like Shirion Collective.

➤ DOJ filings against Khalil that relied on material from Canary Mission and Capital Research Center.

Pattern of Targeting Other Students

The document outlines a broader campaign targeting other international students:

➤ Mohsen Mahdawi was added to Betar’s deport list in March and arrested by ICE in April.

➤ Momodou Taal, a British-Gambian Cornell student, had his visa revoked after Betar and Canary Mission posts.

➤ Rümeysa Öztürk and Badar Khan Suri, both students from Muslim-majority countries, were also detained shortly after public exposure by these groups.

➤ Efe Ercelik, a Turkish student at UMass, was arrested within 24 hours of a Betar post calling for his deportation. A federal court later ruled Betar had “exclusively triggered” the government’s actions.

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What the FOIA Request Seeks

The request asks for records from DOJ, DHS, ICE, and the State Department, including:

➤ Any communication between federal officials and the listed anti-Palestinian groups and individuals since January 2025.

➤ Records referencing Columbia University or Mahmoud Khalil submitted through tip lines or social media.

➤ Internal communications involving Senators Cruz, Fetterman, Lankford, or Secretary Rubio concerning Khalil or Columbia protests.

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CCR’s Argument

The CCR argues Khalil’s detention is unconstitutional retaliation for protected speech. They say private actors and political figures used immigration enforcement to punish dissent, setting a dangerous precedent for political surveillance and deportation based on viewpoint.

CCR is demanding full transparency and expedited processing, citing widespread public interest and media coverage of the case.

They plan to publish any obtained records.

https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/1928245080382394757