The media is making some stunning accusations against the Trump Administration.
President Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently defended the detention and potential deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student protest organizer, despite critics who claim the action infringes upon free speech rights. Rubio made these remarks on Wednesday while stopping in Shannon Airport, Ireland, en route to the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in Canada after negotiations on the ongoing Ukraine conflict in Saudi Arabia.
Rubio firmly stated that the situation had nothing to do with the First Amendment, pointing out that the issue stemmed from Khalil’s actions and views rather than his right to free speech. Khalil, a former student who arrived in the U.S. on a student visa, had been involved in organizing anti-Israel protests at Columbia University, actions Rubio called “anti-American” and potentially dangerous.
“When you come to this country on a visa, whether as a student or visitor, you’re coming on our terms, not yours,” Rubio said. “If you come here to spread hatred and advocate for violent groups like Hamas—groups that engage in barbaric acts like kidnapping children and murdering innocent civilians—we reserve the right to send you home.”
Rubio further clarified that the revocation of Khalil’s green card and possible deportation were based on his support for Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. Rubio emphasized that being a supporter of such groups has no place in the United States, especially on college campuses, where radical, anti-American activities have been allowed to flourish unchecked.
Rubio made it clear that those who incite violence or disrupt American institutions should not be allowed to remain in the U.S. “We have every right to deny visas, revoke green cards, and deport individuals who undermine our national security and threaten public order,” he added. “The U.S. is a country of law and order, and we will not allow agitators to use our freedoms to spread hatred.”
Khalil’s case has ignited debate over whether his detention violates constitutional rights, but Rubio and others stand firm on the belief that actions tied to foreign terror organizations should not be protected by the First Amendment. Even former President Trump weighed in, stating that such individuals are “troublemakers” who don’t belong in the country. “We need to get them out. They’re bad for America,” he asserted, noting the damage done to institutions like Columbia University, once regarded as a prestigious institution, now compromised by extremist ideologies.
This case highlights a growing tension between protecting national security and ensuring the freedoms Americans hold dear. With increasing anti-Semitic and pro-terrorist rhetoric cropping up on campuses, it is essential for lawmakers to make it clear that there are consequences for such actions, regardless of the claims of free speech.