1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

On the evening of March 8, 2025, Columbia University student activist Mahmoud Khalil was detained by the Department of Homeland Security. The arrest comes on the heels of the Department of State’s announcement that it plans to deport students affiliated with pro-Palestine protests. The student, who is Palestinian, is a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. He is not accused of a crime. Khalil must be released as soon as possible. If the federal government can abduct a lawful resident to suppress speech, none of us is safe. Regardless of how you feel about the protests at Columbia, you know that free speech is a fundamental bulwark against authoritarian rule. Please devote time and energy to this cause and stand in the side of the freedoms provided by the first amendment. This is a historic moment. Free Mahmoud Khalil.