Response to letter about Mahmoud Khalil arrest

To the editor:

The arrest and possible deportation of Mahmoud Khalil is not due to his speech, but rather his conduct that our government believes has violated several laws. He is a leader of Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), which partners with Students for Justice in Palestine, a group that supports Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 invasion and massacre in Israel. 

Khalil's CUAD group has participated in violence and illegal activities such as taking over Columbia's Hamilton Hall where college staff were assaulted and kidnapped and the building was vandalized. The same group took part in the illegal Columbia encampment where participants harassed Jewish students and restricted their free movement on campus. Khalil recently helped masked students illegally take over a Barnard College building. Their violence sent a staff member to the hospital as they distributed terror-promoting literature calling for the death of Israel, Jews, and America.

Khalil's CUAD sponsored events featuring "Samidoun", a U.S.-designated terror organization. On campus, Jewish students have reported that Khalil was a menacing figure, making them afraid to reveal their Jewish identity or express support for Israel. One student even transferred out of a class to avoid being in Khalil's presence.

These kinds of actions have been called into question by federal authorities because they relate to the violation of our criminal codes, immigration protocols and possibly national security. Khalil will have his day in court and the federal government will present their case.

Alisa Eilenberg