DeKalb GA News

Professor William Jacobson of Cornell Law School recently discussed the case of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student facing deportation. In an interview with talk host Tony Katz, Jacobson addressed the portrayal of Khalil's situation as a free speech issue.

Jacobson clarified that immigration laws differ significantly from those governing U.S. citizens. "The government can’t deport, to my knowledge, a US citizen," he stated. However, non-citizens must adhere to specific rules to remain in the country legally.

He emphasized the government's role in regulating immigration and highlighted its right to exclude individuals who support terrorism or engage in criminal activities while in the U.S. "There’s no reason why we as a country need to let in people who come here for the very purpose of not only advocating the overthrow of the US government... but engaging in organizing violent conduct," Jacobson said.

Khalil has been accused of depriving Columbia students of their rights through disruptive actions on campus. According to Jacobson, these actions are not protected under free speech principles. He argued that similar conduct by pro-Israel students would face prosecution if it occurred.

Jacobson criticized what he sees as selective concern for free speech among left-wing groups on college campuses: "It’s actually funny to hear people on the left suddenly pretending to care about free speech."

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