March 9, 2025
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Washington, D.C. | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) strongly condemns ICE’s arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian activist and legal U.S. permanent resident, in an extreme and blatant act of political retaliation for his First Amendment-protected advocacy. Khalil led negotiations between school officials and students during last year’s campus encampments protesting Israel’s genocide in Palestine. His arrest comes as the U.S. government cancels visas and President Trump pushes to reinstate a so-called “Muslim travel ban,” signaling a troubling resurgence of discriminatory immigration policies.
ADC unequivocally condemns any action by law enforcement or immigration authorities that infringes upon the First Amendment rights of individuals, particularly when such actions are motivated by political views or peaceful advocacy. In a democracy, no one should have to fear detention or harassment for exercising free expression, regardless of how contentious or critical the viewpoints expressed may be.
“In a time that demands robust public discourse, any infringement on free speech—especially under the pretense of national security or immigration policy—undermines our democratic values,” said ADC National Executive Director, Abed Ayoub. “ADC calls for the immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil and anyone detained solely for exercising protected political expression or because of discriminatory visa policies, and urges lawmakers to reject the troubling revival of a ‘Muslim ban.’”
Recent visa cancellations are being carried out under the shadow of renewed efforts to institute travel restrictions disproportionately affecting Muslim-majority countries. Such a shift in policy threatens to reinforce patterns of profiling and discriminatory targeting—particularly against Arabs, Muslims, and Palestinians—on the basis of their national origin, religion, and political activism. The potential reintroduction of any form of “Muslim ban” would further erode trust in our nation’s commitment to equality under the law and would likely embolden additional abuses.
On Tuesday, March 11 at 9am PT/12pm ET, ADC will join National Iranian American Council (NIAC) and ReThink Media to host an emergency press briefing on the matter. Please register here for Zoom link and invite.
ADC calls on attorneys to join our volunteer and referral network. To sign up please visit here.