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A society that jails peaceful graduate students for protesting or writing essays signals a chilling collapse of freedom. Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian Columbia University graduate, was arrested by ICE in March for leading pro-Palestinian protests, despite holding a green card. 

Transferred to a Louisiana detention center, he faces deportation for “foreign policy risks,” sparking outrage over free speech suppression. Similarly, Yunseo Chung, another Columbia student, had her green card revoked and was detained for participating in anti-war demonstrations, highlighting a pattern of targeting activists. 

At UCLA, Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown, faced detention after the Department of Homeland Security accused him of Hamas ties for his protest involvement, with no clear evidence. These cases reveal a democracy fraying, where dissent invites punishment. 

While you’re here enjoying Ted Rall’s latest cartoon, please take a moment and read articles on related topics: 

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• All Ted Rall cartoons at WhoWhatWhy