Asian Americans Advancing Justice Calls Out Detention of Green Card Holder and Raises Concerns Over Lack of Due Process
STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2025
CONTACT:
James Woo, Advancing Justice-Atlanta, media@advancingjustice-atlanta.org
Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a network of four independent Asian American civil rights organizations, releases the following statement:
Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil will remain in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Louisiana, a New York federal judge held Wednesday. Khalil is a lawful permanent resident who was arrested by federal officials at his Columbia University residence on Saturday, March 8, 2025 in an attempt by the Trump administration to deport him in retaliation for his advocacy in support of Palestinian rights.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of four Asian American civil rights organizations across the country, responds to the unfolding situation of the detention and potential deportation of Khalil, and the current threats to legal protections in this country.
The Trump administration’s ongoing actions raise serious concerns about the disregard for the rule of law, exemplified by the recent detention and attempted deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder. The president's unconscionably broad interpretation of his administration’s authority to deport lawful permanent residents undermines principles of due process and chills First Amendment expression, highlighting a troubling trend of prioritizing political agendas over legal protections and individual freedoms. Such actions threaten the foundational values of justice and fairness that underpin our democracy.
We stand in solidarity with those speaking out during this critical time as the Trump administration seeks to instill fear and suppress the right to speak out against U.S. foreign policies. Everyone is entitled to exercise their First Amendment rights.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), and other marginalized communities in Georgia and the Southeast
