Democratic Lawmakers Visit Detained Students Khalil and Öztürk Amid Deportation Threats
Massachusetts lawmakers visit detained students Rümeysa Öztürk and Mahmoud Khalil, facing removal from the U.S. over activism, condemning inhumane conditions.
Summary
A group of Democratic lawmakers visited ICE detention facilities in Louisiana to meet Rümeysa Öztürk and Mahmoud Khalil, both facing deportation due to their pro-Palestinian activism. Senator Ed Markey and representatives from Massachusetts decried the conditions of their detention and the absence of charges against them, emphasizing concerns about due process and free speech violations. The Trump administration has labeled Khalil and Öztürk as national security threats due to their activism, arguing that they support terrorist activities. Critics claim their detainment reflects broader political motivations aimed at suppressing dissent.
Sources (6)
- Democratic lawmakers have revealed alarming conditions in ICE detention facilities where two students are being held without charges, emphasizing the potential risk to freedom of speech and due process under the Trump administration.
- Congress members argue that the detentions serve as a suppression of dissent related to pro-Palestinian advocacy, with no evidence provided to justify the claims against the students.
- The detainees reportedly experience inadequate medical care and poor living conditions, raising concerns about human rights violations and the treatment of individuals in immigration detention.
PBS NewsHour·1M· "…The Trump administration is in complete and total disregard for those laws."
MSNBC·1M· "…The Democrats’ visit this week is part of a larger effort to highlight the plight of those targeted by the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration crackdown."
Boston Globe·1M· "…The trio traveled there earlier this week to check on Öztürk and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil."
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