National Disgrace! US Detains Pro-Palestinian Students

2025-04-23 01:30:16.428

Congressional lawmakers denounced the treatment of Mahmoud Khalil and Rümeysa Öztürk, students detained by US immigration authorities for their pro-Palestinian activism, as a “national disgrace” during a visit to the Louisiana facilities where they are being held. Congressman Troy Carter led a delegation including Representatives Bennie Thompson, Ayanna Pressley, Jim McGovern, Senator Ed Markey, and Alanah Odoms (ACLU of Louisiana). They visited the South Louisiana Ice processing center (Öztürk) and the Central Louisiana Ice processing center (Khalil). Öztürk, a Tufts University PhD student, and Khalil, a Columbia graduate, have been detained for over a month without criminal charges, a violation of their constitutional rights, the delegation said. Pressley described the conditions as "unsanitary, unsafe, and inhumane," noting Öztürk's lack of food, water, and legal counsel, and Khalil's missing the birth of his child. The lawmakers called the detentions part of a Trump administration crackdown on immigrants for constitutionally protected free speech opposing US foreign policy. Markey called it a "national disgrace" and an erosion of the constitution, while McGovern labeled those held as political prisoners and a move toward an authoritarian state. A judge ruled Khalil eligible for deportation; the administration argues his beliefs counter US foreign policy interests. Senator Peter Welch also met with another detained Palestinian student, Mohsen Mahdawi.