Sign the petition: demand the immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil >>

John, we have the right to dissent when our government makes decisions we disagree with.

But President Trump clearly doesn’t agree. Instead, he’s weaponizing our government against his critics – at news outlets, law firms, and college campuses.  

Now, with Trump’s direction, federal immigration agents are targeting a legal permanent resident for speaking out against the policies of his administration.  

Here’s what happened: Columbia grad student and activist Mahmoud Khalil, who holds a green card, was returning from an iftar dinner with his pregnant wife when he was seized by plainclothes ICE agents from his student residence. [1]

Mahmoud Khalil has never been convicted of ANY crime. [2] But that didn’t stop the Trump administration – which is now targeting hundreds of other student activists simply for exercising their rights to free speech [3]

Let’s be clear: In the United States, you have the right to peacefully protest and make your voice heard, no matter who you are.

John, if this goes unanswered, it won’t stop here. Join us in speaking up for the First Amendment and demanding the immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil!

SIGN THE PETITION

Khalil’s disappearance sets an extremely dangerous precedent.

Make no mistake: if it can happen to him, it can happen to any of us, no matter our immigration status – if we publicly oppose the President’s decisions.  

In fact, the President has said that he wants to continue this deportation campaign against student-activists, regardless of their residency status – effectively criminalizing political dissent in America. [1]

John, the right to protest is fundamental to our democracy. Organized people power helped secure voting rights for millions of Americans, equality for disenfranchised communities, and allows us to hold our government accountable.

The Trump administration’s effort to target people for their political views is fundamentally un-American. It's a dangerous escalation of the administration’s attacks on our democratic freedoms, and it must be stopped.

Khalil spoke up for what he believes in, and we can do the same. Add your name to demand the immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil and fight back against this violation of our right to speak freely >>

Thanks for all you do,

The team at Common Cause

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[1] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/arrest-of-palestinian-activist-at-columbia-will-be-first-of-many-to-come-trump-says

[2] https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/mahmoud-khalil-arrest-lawyers-trump-free-speech-rcna198885

[3] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/rubio-says-us-may-have-revoked-more-than-300-visas-2025-03-27/