Secretary of State Marco Rubio sparred with CBS News host Margaret Brennan over the arrest and impending deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student who played a leading role in last year’s campus takeover protests.
Khalil, a legal permanent resident who is married to an American citizen, was detained by ICE agents earlier this month due to his association with anti-
American groups and ideologies.
His role in the protests — which led to the cancellation of classes, takeover of university buildings and clashes with police — has been cited as a primary role for the pending revocation of his legal residency.
He has in the past stated that the U.S. government must be brought to its knees as part of a “global intifada” and has called for the “total eradication of western civilization.”
Khalil, 30, is not currently facing any criminal charges. He is married to an American citizen, though his legal permanent resident status has been called into question due to his ties to the protests and anti-American views. Khalil is currently being held at an immigration detention center in Louisiana and is facing deportation.
His cause has been taken up by left-wing activists and pro-Palestine groups