Quotes
Donated what I could. This situation is chilling, the government arresting someone for exercising their First Amendment rights to speak out against the Israeli government for committing genocide against a whole group of people. Criticizing an unjust government's actions isn't antisemitism."
An anonymous donor wrote on the official Chuffed.com fundraising page
His family has started a fundraiser on Chuffed.org, where they will be posting updates and more details. Any other fundraiser is not associated with the family."
The Center For Constitutional Rights, a nonprofit legal advocacy organization based in New York City, wrote in an Instagram post on WednesdayMahmoud has dedicated his life to fighting for justice. Now, he needs us to fight for him. Let's stand together and bring him home."
Per the official Chuffed.com fundraising pageThere are a lot of facts in that case that are tricky and not all public,
Mizelle replied, ... according to CheneyUnless you have a green card,
Howell replied, an apparent reference to Khalil's legal issuesThe First Amendment protects everyone in the U.S. The government’s actions are obviously intended to intimidate and chill speech on one side of a public debate,
Wizner added
The federal government is claiming the authority to deport people with deep ties to the U.S. and revoke their green cards for advocating positions that the government opposes,
said the ACLU's Ben Wizner in a statementWe can deny you that visa,
the U.S. top diplomat arguedMy husband was kidnapped from our home, and it’s shameful that the United States government continues to hold him because he stood for the rights and lives of his people,
Khalil’s wife said in a Wednesday statement read by attorney Shezza Abboushidallal
The United States government has taken the position that it can arrest, detain and seek to deport a lawful permanent resident exclusively because of his peaceful, constitutionally protected activism ― in this case, activism in support of Palestinian human rights and an end to the genocide in Gaza,
said Baher Azmy, a member of Khalil’s counsel and the legal director for the Center for Constitutional RightsHis disappearance has devastated our lives. Every day without him is filled with uncertainty – not just for me, but for our entire family and community. Our loved ones are struggling with the pain and fear of his sudden absence,
she continuedThe government takes the position that because the secretary of state finds his dissent unacceptable or contrary to U.S. foreign policy, he can be deported,
he continuedEvery day that Mahmoud spends in detention in Louisiana is a day too long. We and he fully intend to vindicate not just his First Amendment rights, but those of all Americans, frankly, and all lawful permanent residents and anybody who wants to speak out,
Ramzi Kassem, one of Khalil’s attorneys, told reporters as protesters could be heard loudly calling for the activist’s freedomIt cannot be the case that you can be disappeared at night, off the streets of New York city, simply because the current administration in the White House dislikes what you have to say,
Kassem said
Essentially they are a form of punishment and retaliation for the exercise of free speech,
he addedMr. Khalil’s detention has nothing to do with security. It is only about repression,
Azmy saidWe have not been able to confer with our client once,
Kassem saidFor the Trump administration to come and say you, as a green card holder, can just be picked up from your home one night with no due process, this should be completely appalling to every single American,
she addedNo matter what your political opinions are in this country, you have a right, constitutionally, to be able to express them, and that is exactly what Mahmoud Khalil was doing,
she saidIf we don't stand up now, citizens are next,
he said