Republican leaders are backing the detention and deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and Syrian national who led violent protests on campuses, citing national security concerns and Khalil’s support for terror, while slamming Democrats for supporting the pro-Hamas activist, who fronts a group which calls for the “end of Western civilization.”
The arrest of Khalil on Saturday sparked strong reactions from Republican leaders, who argued that his pro-Hamas activities justify his removal from the United States. In contrast, the Senate Judiciary Democrats’ X account advocated for him with “Free Mahmoud Khalil.”
In response, the Senate Judiciary Republicans’ X account noted that, “Reports overwhelmingly indicate Mahmoud Khalil is a Hamas sympathizer who espouses violent, anti-American views.”
President Donald Trump also commented on the situation, labeling Khalil as a “Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student” and indicating that more arrests could follow.
“We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it,” he asserted.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that Khalil “sided with terrorists” and “organized group protests that not only disrupted college campus classes and harassed Jewish American students and made them feel unsafe on their own college campus, but also distributed pro-Hamas propaganda, fliers with the logo of Hamas.”
“We have a zero tolerance policy for siding with terrorists. Period,” she added.
House Speaker Mike Johnson insisted that Khalil posed a national security threat, stating, “If you are in America on a student visa, and you’re an aspiring young terrorist who wants to prey upon your Jewish classmates, you’re going home.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed claims that Khalil’s case was about free speech, asserting, “This is about people that don’t have a right to be in the United States to begin with.”
“I think being a supporter of Hamas and coming into our universities and turning them upside down and being complicit in what are clearly crimes… If you told us that that’s what you intended to do when you came to America we would have never let you in,” he explained.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) condemned Democrats for defending Khalil and expressed support for the Trump administration’s efforts to deport such individuals.
“Let me be clear to anyone: If you hate America, if you want to undermine America, do not come to this country,” he stated, insisting that the Trump administration “rightly” arrested and plans to deport Khalil for “organizing anti-Israel, anti-America, pro-Hamas protests.”
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) blasted Democrats for having, once again, chosen to “defend pro-terrorist, antisemitic foreign nationals over the safety and interests of the American people.”
“Disgusting,” he added.
The Senate Republicans blasted Judiciary Democrats, claiming, “Sen. Durbin and @JudiciaryDems are more focused on supporting pro-Hamas foreigners than standing up for American citizens. It’s indefensible.”
Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) contrasted Republican and Democratic priorities, stating, “Republicans are fighting to free the American hostages. Democrats are fighting for a terrorist-supporting, anti-American student agitator with a green card.”
Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY) described Khalil as a “Hamas sympathizer who celebrates a terrorist organization that has murdered Americans.”
“He does not deserve to be on American soil,” she added. “Senate Democrats should be calling for his deportation. Not his freedom.”
Congressman Brandon Gill (R-TX) declared, “If you are a noncitizen Hamas supporter, go back to wherever you came from. We don’t want you here.”
Georgia state Rep. Esther Panitch (D) took a more direct approach, telling Senate Judiciary Democrats on X to “delete your account.”
Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) slammed Senate Democrats for supporting Khalil, stating, “Even beyond his anti-Semitism and disruption on campus, this 31-year-old student’s group wants to ‘eradicate Western civilization.’ This is who the Senate Democrats are championing?”
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) supported the Trump administration’s actions, saying, “I am so pleased to see the Trump administration actually taking action. ICE arrested a former Columbia University student who is from Syria, that is Mahmoud Khalil, and this was a ring leader for Columbia’s anti-Israel encampment.”
Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, defended the Trump administration’s decision:
“America will not harbor visitors who provide support to our adversaries. President Trump made a promise to the American people that he would put an end to the growing and insidious endorsement of anti-Semitic terrorism on college campuses. The arrest of Mahmoud Khalil is a promise kept,” he stated.
“Mr. Mahmoud organized pro-terrorist events, and reports indicate he encouraged providing moral and material support for a designated terrorist organization,” he added.
Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) condemned the rise of radical rhetoric on campuses, stating, “College campuses across the country have devolved into breeding grounds for antisemitic violence and harassment. Our focus should be on protecting Jewish students, not a pro-terrorist foreign national agitator.”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller pointed out that Democrats were prioritizing Khalil’s defense over advocating for Hamas’s hostages, stating, “They posted this instead of ‘free the hostages held by Hamas.’”
The 31-year-old Khalil, who was arrested by ICE for ties to pro-Hamas activism and now faces deportation, continues to garner support from Democrats and many on the left.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
