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USA Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Mahmoud Khalil's case, his free speech rights and the legal battle ahead: What to know
Though Mahmoud Khalil was released from federal custody on June 20, his legal counsel says the fight with President Donald Trump's administration is far from over and continues to raise key free speech issues. The administration said it intended to appeal New Jersey U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz' ruling to release Khalil from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement custody. He was being held at a Louisiana detainment facility for more than three months following his March 8 detention. Farbiarz said on June 20 that there was no evidence that Khalil, a Columbia University graduate, would be a flight risk or danger to the community if he was released. The administration has cited a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 in its effort to deport Khalil, a lawful permanent resident who was born in Syria. The clause allows the secretary of state to remove individuals from the country if they have reason to believe the person's actions or presence undermines foreign policy interests. Earlier in June, Farbiarz said the application of the provision to Khalil's case violated his First Amendment right to free speech. Trump has referred to Khalil as a 'radical, foreign, pro-Hamas student.' Khalil's lawyers have said there is no evidence he supports the organization, which the federal government has long designated as a terror group. David Keating, president of the Institute for Free Speech, said he doesn't think international students or visa holders should 'take any comfort from (Khalil's release) at all." While Khalil's case garnered publicity and resources for his defense, Keating said that may not be the case for others if the Trump administration targets student protesters at a larger scale. The administration's actions thus far stand to have a 'pretty stark' chilling effect on students, he said, adding that they may prompt some to reconsider their plans to study in the U.S. 'I think we're sending a really bad lesson about freedoms in America,' Keating said. 'We should be a beacon of freedom to the world, and I think one way to do that is to let even temporary visitors express their political views.' White House says Khalil's case is 'not about free speech' The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) similarly believes the 'fight for free speech is far from over,' according to FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick. The organization filed an amicus brief in support of Khalil that said Secretary of State Marco Rubio having the authority to deport non-citizens based on his sole assessment 'places free expression in mortal peril.' Farbiarz ruled against granting Rubio such authority earlier in June, saying that the government's actions were chilling Khalil's right to free speech and negatively impacting his career and reputation, which "adds up to irreparable harm." White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told USA TODAY that Khalil's case was 'not about 'free speech.'' 'This is about individuals who don't have a right to be in the United States siding with Hamas terrorists and organizing group protests that made college campuses unsafe and harassed Jewish students,' Jackson said, adding that the administration 'expect(s) to be vindicated on appeal' and 'look(s) forward to removing Khalil from the United States.' While Fitzpatrick said individuals who disagree with the administration's stance and actions toward Khalil can write to Congress or attend rallies to make their voices heard, the fate of student protesters like Khalil ultimately lies in judges' hands. 'Realistically, a lot of this is going to have to be resolved in the courts,' he said. 'There's only so much activism can do on that front.' ACLU lawyer says Khalil's case has 'McCarthyite overtones' The American Civil Liberties Union, which is part of Khalil's legal counsel, was 'overjoyed' by his release, but the organization said its celebration is tempered by the reality of the long legal road ahead. 'I'd say this is a victory in a critically important battle, but it's a long war and we intend to fight it all the way through,' ACLU attorney Brian Hauss told USA TODAY. Hauss noted that the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed noncitizens' right to First Amendment protections in 1945's Bridges v. Wixon decision. The case surrounded the government's attempt to deport a man based on his alleged affiliation with the Communist Party. There are 'similar McCarthyite overtones' in Khalil's case, Hauss said, referencing the senator who spearheaded the government's anticommunist crusade. While it's 'certainly possible' that a deportation case involving student protesters could end up at the Supreme Court, which has reversed long-standing rulings such as Roe v. Wade in recent years, Hauss said he's optimistic the court would rule in their favor given its rulings upholding the First Amendment in recent years. 'For the Supreme Court to step back from those freedoms would be truly surprising, and I hope I'm not surprised,' he said. Another high-profile case related to Khalil's surrounds Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, who was arrested in Boston in March after writing a pro-Palestinian opinion article that criticized the school's response to the Israel-Gaza war in its student newspaper. A federal judge in Vermont ordered Ozturk to be released in May. Contributing: Hannan Adely and Michael Loria BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment Reporting Fellow at USA TODAY. Reach her at bjfrank@ USA TODAY's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Afternoon Briefing: City mum on documents it provided ICE in subpoena
Good afternoon, Chicago. After first asserting it did not turn over personal information about city workers to U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, Mayor Brandon Johnson's Law Department is now hedging on how exactly the administration responded to a federal subpoena for employment eligibility forms. Johnson Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry told reporters last week the city's response to an ICE subpoena for the forms of Streets and Sanitation employees that determine whether they can legally work in the U.S. contained no personal information about those workers. But yesterday, a Law Department spokesperson declined to go that far when the Tribune asked about what documents ICE did receive and what information they contain. Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Pritzker's decision to run for governor again settles a significant issue for next year's election season, where candidates will be vying for an open U.S. Senate seat as well as several in Congress. Read more here. More top news stories: The New Jersey-based Inspired by Somerset Development plans to remake the vacant west side of the 1.6-million-square-foot building, creating new offices and lining part of the interior with storefronts. retail, restaurants and public gathering spaces. Read more here. More top business stories: Things have finally started to look up for the Chicago White Sox in Year Two of the Chris Getz rebuild, at least according to Getz. Not in wins, of course. Read more here. More top sports stories: The Victory II ship was christened at Chicago's Navy Pier on May 12, ahead of its inaugural sailing on all five Great Lakes, marking the debut of the relaunched cruise line. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Iran would stop its attacks if Israel would. And Israel also confirmed that it had reached its aims of its operations and would cease hostilities. Read more here. More top stories from around the world:
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ferguson prepares for possibility of Trump deploying troops in Washington
The National Guard and police confront protesters following three days of clashes after a series of immigration raids on June 09, 2025, in Los Angeles. Tensions in the city remained high after the Trump administration called in the National Guard against the wishes of city leaders. (Photo by) Washington leaders have been preparing for months for the possibility of President Donald Trump mobilizing the military against the governor's wishes, as he did over the weekend in response to protests in California. Gov. Bob Ferguson called a meeting Tuesday afternoon with the state's top military official about what's going on in Los Angeles, where Trump summoned thousands of National Guard troops in response to protests over immigration enforcement. Trump's move was the first time in 60 years that a president had deployed the National Guard to a state without the governor's consent. 'It's deeply disturbing. He's escalating the situation, it's resulting in more violence because of the president's calling in the National Guard over the governor's objection, and that's exactly what Donald Trump wants,' Ferguson said Tuesday. 'My job as governor is to make sure we're as prepared as we possibly can be here.' Trump says this action was necessary to protect U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement agents and the broader public amid demonstrations that have damaged property. California officials countered that local law enforcement could handle it. California is suing the administration, which has since also sent Marines to Los Angeles, over the National Guard deployment. State officials there say the president is violating the 10th Amendment that protects state sovereignty. Trump has cited federal law allowing the president to call out National Guard troops if 'there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.' The statute also allows for deployments in the case of foreign invasion or if 'the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.' Democratic officials across the country worry the situation in Los Angeles could be a test run for similar moves in their states and cities. Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown, both of whom are Democrats, told the Standard on Tuesday that the president's actions haven't come as a surprise. In fact, they've been playing out this scenario since shortly after they both won election in November. Trump has previously floated the idea of using the military to curb civil unrest. And, during his first term, National Guard troops from multiple states deployed as part of the federal response to 2020 protests in Washington, D.C. Brown noted the law the president cites for the California deployment says such orders 'shall be issued' by the governor. And the situation in California doesn't meet any of the three circumstances where a National Guard deployment would be lawful, he said. 'If the facts arose here that were the same as California, it would be illegal,' Brown said. He didn't rule out a circumstance where the president could have the state's consent to deploy the Guard. 'I don't want to presuppose that we would challenge everything, because it really depends on what the facts are,' he said. A state Military Department spokesperson agreed it's hard for the state to plan for the unknown. 'I wish we could see the future and develop concrete plans and tell you what we're planning for,' Karina Shagren said Tuesday. Across the country, organizers are planning 'No Kings' protests against Trump this Saturday, including in Seattle, Olympia and elsewhere in the state. The protests will coincide with the president's scheduled military parade in Washington, D.C. Seattle has a long history of massive street protests that have crossed over from civil disobedience to property destruction and resulted in force from police, including in response to a World Trade Organization conference in 1999 and the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Brown emphasized he doesn't want protesters acting out violently and 'playing into the hands of the Trump administration.' 'We love to protest here, obviously, which is great, but we have to do it in accordance with our laws,' the attorney general said. In February, Ferguson's top aides had debated sending 200 troops from the state's National Guard to the Canadian border to combat drug trafficking — and get ahead of the president potentially federalizing the Guard. State Adjutant General Gent Welsh, with whom Ferguson was meeting Tuesday, floated the idea. The Military Department went so far as to draft a letter pitching it from the governor to the Trump administration. But Ferguson ultimately decided not to move forward. Welsh commands the state's National Guard, directs the Washington Military Department and serves as the governor's homeland security advisor. The governor championed a bill this legislative session to give him authority to limit National Guard troops from other states from entering Washington, after Republican governors offered their troops to support Trump's immigration crackdown. He signed the bill in April, and it went into effect immediately. Meanwhile, Ferguson on Friday ordered a handful of state National Guard personnel to assist in the search for Travis Decker, a man accused of killing his three young daughters near Leavenworth.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Afternoon Briefing: Prime Healthcare cutting 100 jobs across Illinois facilities
Good afternoon, Chicago. Chicago is responding to President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration raids with protests that began yesterday. Two more are planned for tonight and tomorrow nights. Tonight's protest is to be held in front of the Chicago Police Department headquarters to denounce alleged cooperation of Chicago police with federal agents arrests last week as they detained immigrants outside a U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement office on the Near South Side. The Police Department has denied that officers aided the federal agents. Here's what we know about the protests. And here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Figuring out what went wrong at Lion Electric is crucial not just for former employees, but also for politicians, corporate leaders and environmentalists who want Illinois to build more battery-powered vehicles and protect future generations from increasingly toxic air. Read more here. More top news stories: Official leaving Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration for Obama Foundation Aqua Illinois warns University Park, other communities of tap water risk for infants Prime hired 13,000 workers from Ascension when it bought the hospitals from that health system, and has created nearly 1,000 new jobs since the acquisition. Read more here. More top business stories: Bears player D.J. Moore sells Lincolnshire condo for $870,000 Warner Bros. Discovery to split into two companies, dividing cable and streaming services Some good-natured bantering occurred over the weekend between Cubs president Jed Hoyer and Detroit Tigers president Scott Harris, who worked his way up the ladder after joining the Cubs as director of baseball operations in 2012 under Hoyer and former president Theo Epstein. Read more here. More top sports stories: Late-game production and Tyler Alexander's wild journey: 3 takeaways from Chicago White Sox's series win Green Bay Packers plan to release veteran cornerback Jaire Alexander In Chicago, the dish is a ritual. It's dramatic, it's delicious, and — let's be honest — it's also a little absurd in the best possible way. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: Whose libretto is it, anyway? Chicago opera company takes on improv Review: 'She Who Dared' lovingly fact-checks civil rights history President Donald Trump has deployed at least 300 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles to respond to immigration protests, over the objections of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Read more here. More top stories from around the world: California governor plans to file lawsuit against Trump over National Guard deployment to protests Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni's $400M countersuit against Blake Lively
Chicago Tribune
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
The Tribune's Quotes of the Week quiz for June 7
Happy June, quotes readers! It was a tense and smoggy week in Chicago. Immigration advocates were alerted Wednesday of people being detained at a U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement office on the Near South Side. Organizers and several aldermen went to protest, and several of them clashed with federal agents. Now, City Council members plan to have a hearing to look into the Chicago Police Department's response to the demonstration. Local immigration advocates also plan to challenge President Donald Trump's travel ban that bars or restricts travelers from 19 countries. The U.S. president spoke with several world leaders this week. After a call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Trump said the two countries will continue their trade talks. During their phone call Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the president that he would respond to Ukraine's recent drone attacks on a Russian airfield. And in a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump suggested that pursuing peace in eastern Europe is not the best path forward right now. Amidst all of this, the relationship between the president and his former close adviser Elon Musk came to a bitter end as the two exchanged harsh words on social media, and Trump threatened to cut Starlink and SpaceX's government contracts. The Trump administration is also investigating former President Joe Biden's use of an autopen to sign pardons and other documents. Meanwhile in Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson pushed aldermen to add a city grocery tax as the long-established state grocery levy expires. A jury found Crosetti Brand guilty of first-degree murder in the slaying of Jayden Perkins, the 11-year-old killed in a brutal 2024 attack as he tried to protect his pregnant mother. And Chicago police determined that Officer Krystal Rivera, a mother and four-year veteran of the force, was mistakenly shot and killed by a fellow cop during a confrontation with an armed suspect Thursday in the Chatham neighborhood. In Springfield, Illinois lawmakers voted to pass the state budget. The $55 billion spending plan was balanced with a combination of spending cuts and an estimated $800 million in tax increases, including hikes on tobacco products, vaping and online sportsbooks. The passage of the budget closed out a legislative session with mixed results for Gov. JB Pritzker. Jerry Reinsdorf is selling the Chicago White Sox — just not this year. On Thursday, the team announced Reinsdorf and billionaire Justin Ishbia reached a long-term investment agreement for Ishbia to obtain a controlling interest in the team by 2029 at the earliest. In other sports news, the Chicago Fire are privately financing a $650 million soccer stadium at The 78, the Chicago Sports Network is finally broadcasting on Comcast and the Chicago Sky are taking on the Indiana Fever this weekend in the first professional women's basketball game played at the United Center. But fans hoping to catch another matchup between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark will have to wait: The 2024 WNBA rookie of the year is out for a quadriceps strain. Though the forecast looks nice, you may consider spending some time indoors this weekend. Smoke from Canadian wildfires is blanketing Chicago, with the city's air quality at times ranked the worst in the U.S. That's it for the news! Test your knowledge of who said what with the Tribune's Quotes of the Week quiz from June 1 to 7. Missed last week? You can find it here or check out our past editions of Quotes of the Week.
