Karoline Leavitt: Rubio can revoke Columbia agitator Khalil’s green card, visa over national security
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt made a statement to reporters regarding the potential revocation of former Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil’s green card or visa by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Leavitt emphasized that under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the secretary of state has the authority to revoke a green card or visa for individuals who pose a threat to the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States.
Leavitt highlighted Khalil’s actions, stating that he had sided with Hamas terrorists and engaged in activities that disrupted campus classes, harassed Jewish American students, and distributed pro-Hamas propaganda fliers. She mentioned that the Department of Homeland Security provided her with these fliers, which were distributed with Khalil’s assistance on the Columbia University campus.
While Leavitt considered bringing the fliers to the briefing, she ultimately chose not to, as she believed it was not appropriate to showcase pro-Hamas propaganda in that setting. She emphasized that the administration has a zero-tolerance policy for individuals who support terrorist organizations.
A senior State Department official revealed that Rubio found Khalil’s presence and activities in the U.S. to have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences and compromised U.S. foreign policy interests, making him deportable under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia until December, was recently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and taken to a detention center in Louisiana. Born in Syria to Palestinian parents, Khalil entered the U.S. in 2022 to attend Columbia and later married an American citizen who is currently pregnant.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams addressed questions about Khalil’s due process, highlighting his own concerns with the Biden Justice Department’s corruption case against him. Adams stressed the importance of fair investigations and due process in such cases.
Following Khalil’s apprehension, President Trump commended the arrest, calling it the first of many to come. However, some Democrats criticized the move, with Sen. Dick Durbin denouncing Khalil’s detention as authoritarianism.
Protests erupted in New York City, demanding Khalil’s release and calling for a nationwide walkout of classes to protest what they deemed as genocide against the Palestinian people. The U.S. Department of Education also initiated investigations into 60 colleges and universities for alleged antisemitic discrimination, potentially jeopardizing their funding.
In response to the investigations, the Trump administration canceled $400 million in grant funding for Columbia University. Rep. Jerry Nadler criticized this move, arguing that it does not combat antisemitism but rather advances Trump’s control over higher education in the U.S.
As the situation unfolds, Khalil’s legal team continues to fight for his rights, with a hearing set for Wednesday to address claims of constitutional violations by ICE. The case has sparked debates on national security, free speech, and the government’s role in addressing individuals who support terrorist organizations.
