Hundreds of protesters swarm Trump Tower to demand Mahmoud Khalil’s release

Donald Trump’s America has officially entered its “arrest first, justify later” phase. Protesters in red T-shirts chanted “Free Mahmoud!” as they packed the gilded lobby of Trump Tower demanding the release of Mahmoud Khalil.

Khalil, a green card holder and permanent resident of the United States, was at home when federal agents barged in and arrested him. He was quickly sent to a detention facility in Louisiana, where he’s currently being held. So, what heinous crime did Khalil commit to warrant such treatment? Did he rob a bank? Plot a terrorist attack? Nope. Khalil’s “crime” was organizing a student protest at Columbia University, where he helped lead an encampment opposing Israel’s actions in Palestine.

For this, the Trump administration labeled him an “agitator” and, in a bizarre leap of logic, linked his activism to Hamas. Never mind that there’s no evidence connecting Khalil to any extremist group. What’s even more alarming is the language surrounding Khalil’s arrest. Trump has called it the “first of many to come,” a thinly veiled threat to anyone who dares to speak out against his worldview.

But Trump’s iron fist is being met with resistance. On March 13, nearly 300 protesters flooded Trump Tower to demand Khalil’s release. Organized by Jewish Voice for Peace and other activist groups, the sit-in was a bold reminder that America isn’t a dictatorship — at least, not yet. Some protestors entered through the front doors, others through side entrances, blending in until they revealed their red T-shirts, emblazoned with slogans like “Not in our name” and “Stop arming Israel.” The signs told the story: “Free Mahmoud, free Palestine.” “You can’t deport a movement.” The police, predictably, responded with arrests. Nearly 100 demonstrators were then detained.

Protests at Trump Tower

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— Biasedly Unbiased (@DiRealDan) March 13, 2025

Here’s the part that should concern everyone: Khalil’s detention is a blatant violation of constitutional rights. First, there’s the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech, assembly, and the right to petition the government. Khalil’s activism falls squarely under these protections. Then there’s the Fourteenth Amendment, which ensures equal protection under the law for all persons in the United States — not just citizens. Khalil, as a green card holder, is entitled to the same constitutional protections as any U.S. citizen. Khalil’s case is about more than one man. It’s about the dangerous precedent being set. If the government can detain and deport a lawful permanent resident for their political beliefs, what’s stopping them from silencing citizens next?

Authoritarian regimes don’t start by going after the powerful. They start with the vulnerable: Immigrants (who Trump is convinced are eating your Pomeranians), activists, minorities. By the time they expand their reach, the mechanisms of repression are already in place. Today, it’s Khalil. Tomorrow, it could be you. Once the freedoms the U.S. was built on are gone, you’ll find that the real crime wasn’t the protest — it was the silence.