The Daily Signal - Victor Davis Hanson: Yes, Mr. Khalil, Your Actions Have Consequences

Episode Date: March 14, 2025

Would you give a student visa to a Hamas supporter? In this edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words”, Hanson discusses the contentious detention and deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student with close ties to Columbia University Apartheid Divest, an anti-Israel student group that was thrust into the national spotlight when pro-Hamas student protesters occupied several academic buildings on Columbia’s campus last spring. Hanson explores the balance between free speech rights and national security concerns, examining Khalil's support for vandalism, harassment, and groups labeled as terrorist organizations by the U.S. State Department. "It wasn't what he said, but it was what he did. And he now gets his wish. He can go back to the Middle East and be a strong advocate for Hamas, in closer proximity to it." The Daily Signal cannot continue to tell stories, like this one, without the support of our viewers: https://secured.dailysignal.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's been a lot of frenzy in the news about Mahmoud Khalil. He's a former Columbia University student who was here on a student visa and then has married an American citizen and has recalibrated his visa to a green car. He's an Algerian citizen who grew up in Syria and Palestine. Mr. Khalil, as the spokesman for Columbia University apartheid divest, has on numerous occasions supported groups that committed vandalism, that harassed Jews, and most importantly have called for the destruction of Western civilization, and glorified a group that is designated by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist group.

So the question is this. Hello, this is Victor Davis-Hansson for the Daily Signal. There's been a lot of frenzy in the news about the detention of Mahmoud Khalil. He's a former Columbia University student who was here on a student visa and then has married an American citizen and has recalibrated his visa to a green card. He's an Algerian citizen who grew up in Syria and Palestine. and he's the spokesman for something at Columbia University called the Columbia University apartheid divest in which it suggests that no university should allow any investments

with the so-called criminal state, apartheid state, as they call it, of Israel. Now, he was deported because his activity is in contrast to what the State Department guidelines suggest, and that is simply that they do not want to issue visas, whether green cards or student visas or other sort of visas, to people whose activity is in contrast or against the interest of the United States foreign policy. As I'm speaking, Hamas, who engineered the October 7, 2003 massacre still holds five American citizens as hostages. They will not release them, apparently. They're on record for the last 25 years as a State Department designated terrorist organization. So the question is, is it fair for Mr. Khalil to.

go back to his home and lose his green card. The left, and many on the libertarian right, said this is a free speech issue. He can say whatever he wants. Yes, he was the spokesman for the Columbia University of apartheid divest group. So what? He can say that he doesn't like Israel, that October 7th was a glorious occasion. And if you look at the literature of his organization, it's very clear that A, they have called October 7th a wonderful event, and B, in the past they've called for the eradication and destruction of Western civilization. Now, he may deny that, but that's what his organization has done. The president of Barnard University, the sister campus of Columbia University, about a week ago wrote an op-ed, blasting Mr. Khalil's organization and said that they were responsible, that is, again, the Columbia

University apartheid divest, of which he is their, I guess, official spokesman and negotiator, had caused over $30,000 of damage vandalism to the Columbia-Barnart campus. They have on two occasions forcibly entered halls on the University of. campus and refused to leave. They have illegally encamped on campus grounds refused to leave, and he was the negotiator. So the question is this. It's very simple. Does he have a right as a resident to speak and do whatever he wants? As long as it's not criminal, he does. Does the State Department have a right to consider whether to issue a visa or a renewal of this visa or a council visa, depending on whether the recipient is doing things in the interest of the United States,

or I shouldn't say, is doing things contrary to the United States. And the answer is absolutely. Both sides are right. In other words, Marco Rubio and his State Department are just saying this. We issue thousands of visas to all sorts of people who say all sorts of things, and that's perfectly fine, obnoxious, obscene, whatever they want to say under the First Amendment, because our courts have ruled that those who are residing in the United States have the same rights of free speech. However, we don't have to let people in the United States automatically. We make that decision on whether we feel they're in the interest of the United States or they pose a danger to the United States. So both sides are right. And all Mr. Rubio is saying is,

Mr. Khalil, as the spokesman for Columbia University apartheid divest, has on numerous occasions supported groups that committed vandalism, that harassed Jews, and most importantly have called for the destruction of Western civilization, and glorified a group that is designated by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist group. Now, he may deny that, but it's on record. Marco Rubio in the State Department put it in a pretty good way. They said it's something along the following lines, and I'm paraphrasing, if in 2022 when this Algerian citizen wanted to come to the United States as a guest

and use our educational facilities to get a degree, and he had just said the following, I plan while I am at Columbia to be part of the Columbia University of apartheid divest group, and I will condone or participate in takeovers of particular halls and facilities on the campus to prove my point or to advocate my position, which is to alienate, ostracize Israel. And if it comes up that there is another war in the military, Middle East, I will side with Hamas, a known terrorist organization, as the State Department has defined it. Do you really think that we would allow that visa to be issued? And the answer is no.

So yes, he can say everything he wants, but his activity has consequences. It wasn't what he said, but it was what he did. And he now gets his whist. He can go back to the Middle East and be a strong advocate for Hamas in closer proximity to it. Thank you very much. This is Victor Davis Hansen for The Daily Signal. Thank you for watching today's podcast. And for more news like that, subscribe to the Daily Signal. Maybe you can check out my own website at victorhansson.com for podcast, lectures, ultra-series behind a paywall, but more importantly, just daily columns that are accessible and free to everyone. Thank you very much.