Washington — Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Sunday that an activist who organized pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University and was arrested by federal immigration officials and detained last week, will “be leaving — along with others.”
“We will continue this course of action,” Rubio remarked on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”
Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old native of Syria with Palestinian heritage, acted as a negotiator for students during Columbia University’s 2024 encampment protests. He was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 8 and detained in New Jersey before being moved to a federal facility in Louisiana. Officials acted under a State Department directive to revoke Khalil’s student visa and green card at the time of his arrest, and Rubio indicated post-arrest that the administration intends to revoke the visas and green cards of “Hamas supporters in America for deportation.”
When asked on Sunday if he had evidence linking Khalil to terrorism or if he was merely expressing a controversial opinion, Rubio referenced news footage, stating, “These individuals take over entire buildings and vandalize campuses.”
“Engaging in negotiations for those who took over a campus and damaged property is, in itself, a crime,” Rubio asserted. “Being a negotiator or spokesperson for such actions is problematic.”
The Secretary of State elaborated on his rationale, which he described as “very straightforward,” noting that when an individual enters the U.S. on a visa—whether as a student or a tourist—they do so as a “guest.”
“If you inform us during your visa application process that you’re coming to the U.S. to engage in pro-Hamas activities, that directly contradicts the foreign policy interests of the United States,” Rubio explained. “Had you disclosed this to us, we would never have issued you a visa.”
Neither Rubio nor the White House has provided proof that Khalil has any affiliation with Hamas beyond his support for the Columbia protesters. Khalil’s legal representatives claim he is facing repercussions for exercising his right to protest. They have filed a motion to dismiss the charges, asserting that his arrest and detention violate the First Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment.
An ICE official in New York noted in a court document on Thursday that Khalil was charged as “removable… because the Secretary of State has reasonable grounds to believe that his presence or activities in the United States could lead to serious adverse foreign policy implications for the U.S.”
Rubio remarked that if Khalil had indicated he would enter the U.S. to become a “spokesperson and leader of a movement designed to disrupt your elite universities,” impeding other students’ education and causing property damage, “we would never have permitted his entry.”
On a broader scale, Rubio noted that the administration is “approving visa revocations daily,” implying potential future implications for the green card process.
When queried if individuals with pro-Palestinian beliefs would be exclusively targeted for visa revocations, Rubio stated that members of the Tren de Aragua prison gang would also be pursued, emphasizing, “We don’t want terrorists in America.”
“We do not want individuals in our country who commit crimes and jeopardize our national security or public safety,” Rubio stated. “It’s that straightforward.”
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