The recent abduction of Mahmod Khalil from Columbia University has raised serious concerns. Khalil, described as a father, legal permanent resident, scholar, and union member, was reportedly taken on March 8 due to his activism and speech. According to Margaret Cook, Vice President of the Communications Workers of America Public, Healthcare and Education Workers Sector, the Trump Administration has since detained at least seven more international graduate students and scholars across the country. These individuals participated in protests against the war in Gaza and are alleged targets of persecution.
The statement from Margaret Cook claims these actions undermine freedoms crucial to union members. “Since the March 8 abduction of Mahmod Khalil—father, legal permanent resident, scholar, and union member—from the Columbia University campus for his activism and speech, the Trump Administration has seized at least seven additional international graduate students and scholars across the country. They have all participated in the peaceful protest movement against the ongoing and brutal war against Gaza and are being persecuted for their background, faith, and beliefs.”
Cook warns that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is using personal authority to issue arrest and deportation orders without due process. “Secretary of State Marco Rubio has declared his personal power to issue arrest and deportation mandates for these individuals without due process, taking us back to the days when police, acting on behalf of robber barons, used threats and violence to silence anyone who stood in their way.”
The vice president urges for the release of these students and calls for campus action to protect freedoms. “These students must be released. We must demand that campuses across this country stand up for everyone’s right to speak out, protest, and assemble. And we must continue to build and mobilize our unions in defense of one another, our colleagues, and all working people.”
Cook concludes by labeling the administration’s actions as authoritarian. “We must resist this authoritarian, unconstitutional attack on these students and scholars in order to uphold our democratic rights, protect speech—and stop this campaign of repression in its tracks before it spreads to every campus, including all of those at which we teach, research, study, work, and organize.”
The Communications Workers of America represents various sectors and calls for the protection of rights on campus.
