‘We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country—never to return again,’ the president says in a statement.
President Donald Trump announced on March 10 that many more arrests and deportations of those who are considered “terrorist sympathizers” are forthcoming, following the apprehension of a Palestinian student and permanent resident who led last year’s pro-Palestinian encampment protest at Columbia University after the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by terrorist group Hamas.
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump praised Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for detaining Mahmoud Khalil, calling him a “Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student.”
The president said that Khalil’s arrest was the “first arrest of many to come” and warned that additional detentions would target individuals engaged in “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity” on college campuses nationwide.
“Many are not students, they are paid agitators,” Trump wrote. “We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country—never to return again. If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Khalil’s arrest on March 9 via a statement on X. The agency cited executive orders signed by Trump prohibiting anti-Semitic activities on college campuses and alleged that Khalil had “led activities aligned with Hamas.”
Khalil, a graduate of Columbia University’s School of International Affairs, played a key role in negotiating with administrators to end the tent encampment protests at Columbia last spring, according to the Student Workers of Columbia (SWC). His attorney, Amy Greer, said that ICE agents arrested him at his campus residence.
“We have not been able to get any more details about why he is being detained,” Greer said. “This is a clear escalation. The administration is following through on its threats.”
The Epoch Times reached out to ICE for comment.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscored the administration’s stance in a post on X, stating that the government “will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.” He did not provide further details on the policy implementation.
By Tom Ozimek
