A #ConsentDecree, which can last for years, would give a federal judge responsibility for ensuring #ColumbiaUniversity changes its practices along lines laid out by #Trump’s admin. If such a decree is in place, #Columbia would have to comply with it. If a judge determines the #school is out of compliance, it could be held in contempt of court, punishable by penalties including fines.

As if it's *trying* to prove my point that the Trump regime is engaging in the fascist policing of "ideas" and the targeted repression of those who articulate them, the US government has admitted in court that it has no legal basis to detain and try to deport Columbia University graduate and activist leader Mahmoud Khalil, a legal permanent resident of the United States, besides his ideas and political positions. The government, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is straight up arguing that Kahlil's opposition to Israel's US-backed genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, which it baselessly describes as "antisemitism," represents a threat to US foreign policy objectives, which in turn allows the regime to enact a rarely used provision in the Immigration Nationality Act to justify the fascist targeting of the former student protest spokesman.

In other words, the regime is admitting that Kahlil hasn't committed a crime, but is being deported for purely ideological reasons under the guise of protecting American national security; which is more or less exactly what the administration has been saying out loud until the precise moment when someone points out that this is fascism, at which point they briefly deny it.

https://theintercept.com/2025/04/10/deportation-case-mahmoud-khalil-antisemitism-rubio-trump/

The Case Against Mahmoud Khalil Hinges on Vague “Antisemitism” Claim

"Khalil’s attorneys said it’s clear the government’s case is about cracking down on his speech in support of Palestine and represents a precedent amid the Trump administration’s nationwide attacks on universities and students. The Trump administration has revoked hundreds of students since Khalil’s arrest. Many were not involved in protests at all, while some were being targeted for low-level misdemeanors.

“And where would this lead?” Van Der Hout said. “Are we going to now throw people in jail for speaking out against the Social Security cuts in this country? This is a dangerous slope, and we are taking a stand on behalf of Mahmoud, and he is taking a stand.”

“He’s decided to stay in jail and fight this case to the bitter end,” he added, “while we try to establish that people like Mahmoud have a constitutional right to speak out in this country.”

If there's an upshot here, it's that all of this is patently illegal, and even the Immigration Nationality Act little Marco is using to justify this fascist bullshit contains a provision "that prevents the secretary of state from using the “foreign policy” provision to deport someone based on an individual’s speech unless it has compelling grounds to do so." The fact that the government has refused to produce evidence that would justify deporting Kahlil probably increases his chances of being released, and soon.

The bad news of course is that the Trump regime has already ignored multiple court orders forbidding its fascist activities, and the government is openly asserting the right to target, detain, and deport, again, a *legal* permanent resident of the United States, who is married to an American citizen, for purely ideological reasons. That assertion may not survive a judge's ruling in this particular case, but with a 6-3 fascist high Supreme Court in its pocket, it feels like it's only a matter of time before the regime wins one of these arguments before a more sympathetic judge - and then there is no predicting how far the new American Nazi movement will go to crush dissent and ideological opposition to its authoritarian rule.

#MarcoRubio’s letter is the #Trump admin's entire case against #MahmoudKhalil.

The letter, which was undated, was released by Khalil's legal team on Thurs, the day after the Trump admin submitted it in an #immigration court filing. Rubio writes that Khalil's continued presence in the US would have "potentially serious adverse foreign consequences, & would compromise a compelling US foreign policy interest."

Makled does not think it's a coincidence that he was targeted after deciding to represent this client following the #Trump admin's crackdown on #visa holders who have expressed support for #Palestine.

"The purpose of searching my phone doesn't have anything to do with terrorism, there is only a chilling effect, & it's done to be intimidating."

Border agents pressured Makled to hand over his cell phone. He refused. After more than 90 minutes of back-&-forth, he showed agents his contacts list. He was eventually released. Makled says he was never given a reason for his detainment.

However, one of his current clients is a #student who has been charged in connection to a pro-#Palestinian #protest at the University of Michigan.

The #Trump admin has frozen more than $1 billion in funding for #Cornell & $790 million for #Northwestern amid *#CivilRights* [white man sad] investigations into both schools.

The #funding pause involves mostly grants & contracts with the depts of #Agriculture [HUGE school at Cornell], #Defense, #Education & #Health & Human Services.