People demonstrate outside the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse on the day of a hearing on the detention of Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, in New York City on March 12, 2025. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton)
Other lawmakers told Fox News Digital that there is a need for due process regardless of Khalil’s stances.
"We’ve done some letters and stuff," Rep. Ami Bera said. "I think we’ve gotta give everyone due process rights, you know, especially folks that are legally here as the Columbia students. Obviously let’s uphold the law," he added.
Others, such as Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., has expressed disagreements with Kahlil’s views but still believes that his detainment is cause for concern.
"I don’t like his position. I don’t like what he has said. I don’t like the disruptive students trying to go to school, but I will say this: This is a country. We’re supposed to be a democracy. Freedom of speech is in our constitution," she said.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT PROTESTER SUES TRUMP ADMIN TO PREVENT DEPORTATION
Anti-Israel protestors hang signs from Columbia University in New York City on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)
"Following my previously signed Executive Orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University. This is the first arrest of many to come. 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," Trump posted.
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"Many are not students, they are paid agitators. 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. We expect every one of America’s Colleges and Universities to comply. Thank you!" the president added.
The Trump White House took away $400 million in federal funding for Columbia University as a result of its encampment-style protests that made waves last year, as the university is taking strides to earn the money back. Another alleged Columbia protester, Ranjani Srinivasan, self-deported back to India after having her student visa nixed, and Leqaa Kordia was arrested for allegedly overstaying their student visa.
Fox News’ Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
Cameron Arcand is a politics writer at Fox News Digital in Washington D.C. Story tips can be sent to Cameron.Arcand@Fox.com and on Twitter: @cameron_arcand
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-dems-rally-around-hamas-sympathizer-facing-potential-deportation