Anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil claims immigration detention ‘felt like kidnapping’

Anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil mentioned that his immigration detention felt like kidnapping in his first interview since being disclosed All the Know Your Rights information and fliers I read and familiarized myself with were useless Khalil reported the New York Times in an article published Sunday There are no rights in such situations It felt like kidnapping he added Khalil a Columbia University graduate trainee was distributed on bail from an immigration detention center on Friday following an order by U S District Judge Michael Farbiarz who announced it was highly highly atypical to keep a legal U S resident in custody who doesn t have accusations of violent offenses or that he's a viable flight vulnerability NEWLY ISSUED MAHMOUD KHALIL SPOTTED BACK AT ANTI-ISRAEL PROTEST AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITYIn March Khalil was arrested at Columbia over his anti-Israel activism on campus and an immigration judge ruled he could be removed from the country based on a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that stated his campus protests were not aligned with U S foreign program interests The Department of Homeland Prevention has also announced that Khalil purposely did not reveal that he was employed with the Syrian office in the British Embassy in Beirut when he applied for permanent U S residency Khalil advised the New York Times that his anti-isael protests were not antisemitic I was not doing anything antisemitic Khalil disclosed I was literally advocating for the right of my people I was literally advocating for an end of a genocide I was advocating that the tuition fees that I and other students pay don t go toward investing in weapons manufacturers What s antisemitic about this He also revealed he did not think that his efforts would be challenged JUDGE ORDERS ANTI-ISRAEL RINGLEADER MAHMOUD KHALIL TO BE PUBLISHED ON BAIL I came here with a clear understanding of freedom of expression he revealed Even when it comes to Palestine I never had any sort of concern that speaking up for Palestine would really get me in jail Rubio has defended the Trump administration's apprehension of Khalil saying that if someone applies for a visa to the United States and riles up anti-Semitic initiatives their visa will be denied or revoked It was very ironic I literally laughed he mentioned adding What did I do that I m a foreign approach threat to the United States Did I like damage the U S -Israeli relationship Because it doesn t appear so He informed the New York Times that he believes money determines justice in America If you have money there is rule of law he noted If you are abiding by the very narrow definition of what this administration is defining an American value to be you may get rule of law Otherwise you have to fight tooth and nail to get your due process and your rights Fox News Brie Stimson contributed to this document