University of Chicago students protest arrest and pending deportation of Palestinian activist

CHICAGO – Students gathered on the University of Chicago’s campus Tuesday, calling on their school to be transparent about their tuition dollars while also protesting the arrest and pending deportation of a Palestinian activist.

Mahmoud Khalil helped lead protesters at Columbia University in New York. ICE agents took him into custody over the weekend and his lawyer is saying the government is trying to revoke his Green Card.

The Department of Homeland Security said Khalil’s arrest was in response to the Trump administration’s executive orders prohibiting antisemitism.

“Mahmoud Khalil was an individual who was given the privilege of coming to this country to study at one of our nation’s finest universities and colleges, and he took advantage of that opportunity, of that privilege by siding with terrorists,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Khalil’s detainment comes after the freezing of $400 million in federal funding for Columbia University over how pro-Palestinian protests have been handled on campus.

“It’s absolutely horrifying that he was abducted by ICE. It’s horrifying that the university seems to have collaborate on that abduction. We can’t be next,” University of Chicago Prof. Eman Abdelhadi, who is also with faculty and staff for justice in Palestine said.

Chicago could be next.

Sixty universities around the country, including – WGN was told – Northwestern, have received letters from the Department of Education claiming the schools are under investigation for alleged Title VI violations, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin.

The letters said the schools could face consequences, such as revoking federal funding, if they don’t commit to protecting Jewish students.

Abdelhadi said this is a thinly veiled attack on free speech.

“It’s clear that this administration is using the excuse of antisemitism to crack down on Palestine activists and to generally erode free speech, and that’s going to affect everybody. It’s going to affect every issue,” Abdelhadi said.

A judge in Khali’s case halted deportation Tuesday due to a pending lawsuit from Khalil’s attorneys, who argue his First Amendment rights have been violated. A hearing in that case is scheduled for Wednesday.

WGN has reached out to Northwestern about the letter the school received. The school said in part:

“We are confident in the actions we have taken to address antisemitism on our campus, including updating our Student Code of Conduct, our disciplinary procedures and making investments in public safety.”