Foreign Policy

Sen. Kennedy: Columbia Grad’s Arrest Is About National Security, Not Free Speech

Published

March 11, 2025

The arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate of Columbia University and a green card holder, has reignited debate over the limits of free speech and national security. While the ACLU claims the case is about First Amendment rights, Senator John Kennedy argues otherwise.

“This Case Is Not About Free Speech”

Speaking on The Ingraham Angle, Kennedy dismissed the idea that Khalil’s arrest was a constitutional issue. “The ACLU is defending Mr. Khalil. They say this is a freedom of speech case. I support freedom of speech. How else would we know who the idiots are without it? This case is not about freedom of speech. It’s about civilized behavior. It’s about national security. It’s about terrorism,” Kennedy stated.

Khalil, who is not a U.S. citizen, has publicly expressed support for Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization under U.S. law. Kennedy made it clear that this alone justifies deportation under the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA). “The law says you can be deported if you support a terrorist organization. Here’s the bottom line: Mr. Khalil hates America,” he said.

With legal challenges expected, Kennedy acknowledged that the case may face resistance in lower courts but expressed confidence in the ultimate outcome. “We may lose in district court depending on the judge we get, but we’ll win this in the Supreme Court,” he predicted.

He also underscored that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has broad discretion under the INA to determine Khalil’s removal. “Rubio has the discretion to make this call. And I know Marco. He’s already made it,” Kennedy said.

Columbia University and the Role of Elite Institutions

Beyond the legal questions, Kennedy took aim at Columbia University for allowing radical activism to flourish. “I blame Columbia for tolerating this. The administration and faculty there are a bunch of virtue-crats and moral snobs. They believe in diversity, equity, inclusion, and the right to harass the Jewish people,” he said.

Kennedy criticized the financial backing elite universities receive while permitting anti-American sentiment. “The American people have given Columbia hundreds of millions of dollars. We’ve just wasted it. We’d have been better off spending that money on scratch tickets and blackjack,” he added.

Summing up his stance, Kennedy was blunt about foreign nationals who embrace anti-American ideology while benefiting from its institutions. “If you’re not happy where you are, move. You’re not a tree,” he quipped.

With growing scrutiny on foreign student visas and the role of elite universities in harboring extremist views, the Khalil case may set a precedent for how the U.S. handles non-citizens who openly align with terrorist groups.