The attempted deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent resident and Columbia University graduate, by the Trump administration has ignited widespread protests amidst a climate of anti-Palestinian sentiment in the U.S. This hostility has intensified following the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, which some see as providing Trump with justification to target 'undesirables.' The author reflects on personal experiences of backlash over pro-Palestine sentiments and contrasts them with the severe tragedies faced by the people of Gaza, highlighting the broader implications for free speech and security for Palestinian advocates in the U.S.
"As shocking as his arrest may have seemed to the world, it was sadly unsurprising to those of us on the frontlines of the war at home over Gaza."
"The building fury of anti-Palestinian hatred... is giving Donald Trump cover to cleanse the country of undesirables and undermine free speech and academic freedom."
"My experience has been minuscule compared with many of my colleagues... who've put their bodies on the line to protect our students, then faced arrest and sanctions."
"All of this comes with the territory... Even this shrinks immeasurably when compared with what's happened to the people of Gaza..."
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