What crackdown on pro-Palestine voices means for US rights

The US government is replicating some of the draconian measures imposed on the Palestinians by Israel (File/AFP)

Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student detained by America’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, last week eloquently wrote from his cell that “rights are granted to those who align with power.” This poignant statement came soon after a judge ruled that the government had met the legal threshold to deport the young activist on the nebulous ground of being a threat to “foreign policy.”

“For the poor, for people of color, for those who resist injustice, rights are but words written on water,” Khalil further lamented. The plight of this young man, whose sole transgression appears to be his participation in the nationwide mobilization to halt the Israeli genocide in Gaza, should terrify all Americans. This concern should extend even to those who are not inclined to join any political movement and who possess no particular sympathy for — or detailed knowledge of — the extent of Israel’s atrocities in Gaza or the US’ role in bankrolling this devastating conflict.

The perplexing nature of the case against Khalil, like those against other student activists such as Turkish visa holder Rumeysa Ozturk, starkly indicates that the issue is purely political. Its singular aim appears to be to silence dissenting political voices.

Judge Jamee Comans this month confirmed the legality of the Trump administration’s decision to deport Khalil with an uncritical acceptance of the language employed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio had previously written to the court, citing “potentially serious foreign policy consequences” stemming from Khalil’s actions, which he characterized as participation in “disruptive protests” and “antisemitic conduct.”

The latter accusation is the reflexive rejoinder to any form of criticism leveled against Israel, a tactic that was prevalent long before the current catastrophic genocide in Gaza.

Those who argue that American citizens remain unaffected by the crackdown on freedom of expression must reconsider

Dr. Ramzy Baroud

Those who argue that American citizens remain unaffected by the widespread government crackdown on freedom of expression must reconsider. Last week, for example, the government decided to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard University.

Beyond the potential weakening of educational institutions and their impact on numerous Americans, such financial measures also coincide with a rapidly accelerating and alarming trend of targeting dissenting voices within the US. Also last week, Massachusetts immigration lawyer Nicole Micheroni, a US citizen, publicly disclosed receiving a message from the Department of Homeland Security requesting her self-deportation.

Furthermore, oppressive new bills are under consideration in Congress, which could grant the Department of Treasury expansive measures to shut down community organizations, charities and similar entities under various pretenses and without adhering to standard constitutional legal procedures.

Many readily conclude that these measures reflect Israel’s profound influence on US domestic politics and the significant ability of the pro-Israel lobby in Washington to interfere with the democratic fabric of the US, whose Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and assembly. While there is much truth in this conclusion, the narrative extends beyond the complexities of the Israel-Palestine issue.

For many years, individuals, predominantly academics, who have championed Palestinian rights have been subjected to trials or even deported based on “secret evidence.” This essentially involved a legal practice that amalgamated various acts, such as the Classified Information Procedures Act and the Immigration and Nationality Act, among others, to silence those critical of US foreign policy.

Although some civil rights groups in the US challenged the selective application of the law to stifle dissent, the matter hardly ignited a nationwide conversation regarding the authorities’ violations of fundamental democratic norms, such as due process (as protected by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments).

Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, however, much of that legal apparatus was also applied to all Americans in the form of the Patriot Act. This legislation broadened the government’s authority to employ surveillance, including electronic communications, and other intrusive measures.

Subsequently, it became widely known that social media platforms were integrated into government surveillance efforts. Recent reports have even suggested that the government mandated social media screening for all US visa applicants who have spent “any length of time in an official or diplomatic capacity” in the Gaza Strip since Jan. 1, 2007.

The US government is effectively replicating some of the draconian measures imposed on the Palestinians by Israel

Dr. Ramzy Baroud

In pursuing these actions, the US government is effectively replicating some of the draconian measures imposed on the Palestinians by Israel. The crucial distinction, based on historical experience, is that these measures tend to undergo continuous evolution, establishing legal precedents that swiftly apply to all Americans and further compromise their already deteriorating democracy.

According to a Pew Research Center survey from April 2024, Americans are already grappling with their perception of the country’s democratic institutions. A disturbingly high 72 percent believe that US democracy is no longer a good example for other countries to follow.

The situation has only worsened in the past year. While US activists advocating for justice in Palestine deserve unwavering support and defense for their profound courage and humanity, Americans must also recognize that they, and the remnants of their democracy, are equally at risk.

“Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere,” is a timeless quote associated with Abraham Lincoln. Yet, every day that Khalil and others spend in their cells awaiting deportation stands as the starkest violation of that very sentiment. Americans must not permit this injustice to persist.

Dr. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and author. He is editor of “The Palestine Chronicle” and nonresident senior research fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs. His latest book, co-edited with Ilan Pappe, is “Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders and Intellectuals Speak Out.” X: @RamzyBaroud