Trump administration deportation cases coming to a head
Trump Administration faces multiple deportation issues
Two major deportation cases are drawing attention to the Trump Administrations deportation polices
SAN FRANCISCO - Two major deportation cases are coming to a head at the same time – one for a man already deported to El Salvador, and the other for a man facing deportation.
Supporters are rallying in San Francisco for Mahmoud Khalil, who is still facing the threat of having his green card revoked.
A federal judge ruled Friday that immigration proceedings against pro-Palestinian activist Khalil can proceed.
On Monday, supporters of the Columbia grad gathered in San Francisco's streets, speaking out against his detention.
"This is a dangerous precedent because if people can be deported because of their speech, they can prosecute people for pro-Palestine speech, anti-Trump speech and anything like that," Max Flynt said.
Professor David Levine from the University of California School of Law San Francisco said there are parallel cases, one in immigration court where Secretary of State Marco Rubio submitted a memo citing the Immigration and Nationality Act from the 1950's.
"In the past that has been interpreted very narrowly," said Levine. "What Secretary Rubio is doing with Khalil is saying, any protest activity he may have engaged in at Columbia University amounts to a threat to foreign policy."
Levine said a federal judge in New Jersey will also weigh in on the legality of his detention.
"That case is pending, and that case is the one that allows Khalil's lawyers to challenge the determination if Mr. Khalil should lose his green card," said Levine.
At the same time, the Trump administration welcomed El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele to the Oval Office; neither president said they could do anything to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who the federal government has admitted was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.
"How can I return him to the United States?" asked President Bukele. "Like, I smuggle him into the United States? Of course, I'm not going to do it. The question's preposterous. How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States? I don't have the power to return him to the United States."
Levine said a federal judge is already losing patience with the Trump administration after the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government should be facilitating his return to the US.
"She has been demanding daily reports, ever since the Supreme Court issued that decision on Thursday. She has been demanding daily reports from the federal government, 'What efforts have you made? What phone calls have you made? What did you do to try to get this man out?'" said Levine.
A hearing in Abrego Garcia's case has been scheduled for Tuesday.
Kahlil's legal team has vowed to continue fighting, and have filed numerous petitions challenging his detention.
