Mahmoud Khalil’s Attorney: ‘He’s Being Charged with Having Ideas’

SIDNER Joining us now ░░░░░░░░ an attorney for Mahmoud ░░░░░░░░ Donna Lieberman She is ░░░░░░░░ director of the New ░░░░░░░░ Civil Liberties Union All ░░░░░░░░ first of all what ░░░░░░░░ is Khalil being charged ░░░░░░░░ LIEBERMAN He s being ░░░░░░░░ with having ideas and ░░░░░░░░ out about them Ideas ░░░░░░░░ the government disapproves of ░░░░░░░░ really that s all ░░░░░░░░ is to it This ░░░░░░░░ a targeted retaliatory and ░░░░░░░░ attack on the right ░░░░░░░░ free expression SIDNER So ░░░░░░░░ government has been arguing ░░░░░░░░ because he was protesting ░░░░░░░░ support of Palestinians in ░░░░░░░░ and against Israel s ░░░░░░░░ of Gaza that he ░░░░░░░░ with Hamas and therefore ░░░░░░░░ be deported Did did ░░░░░░░░ get that right And ░░░░░░░░ that something that is ░░░░░░░░ a legal concept LIEBERMAN ░░░░░░░░ it s a legal ░░░░░░░░ from this administration but ░░░░░░░░ has no basis in ░░░░░░░░ and it has no ░░░░░░░░ in under a Constitution ░░░░░░░░ protects the right of ░░░░░░░░ speech The First Amendment ░░░░░░░░ everybody in the country ░░░░░░░░ this administration is telling ░░░░░░░░ public a half truth ░░░░░░░░ have pulled out this ░░░░░░░░ piece of law that ░░░░░░░░ you can be deported ░░░░░░░░ doing something that endangers ░░░░░░░░ foreign policy But guess ░░░░░░░░ That same statute says ░░░░░░░░ you can t be ░░░░░░░░ for past or anticipated ░░░░░░░░ beliefs or associations that ░░░░░░░░ entirely lawful that express ░░░░░░░░ political view In other ░░░░░░░░ they re not claiming ░░░░░░░░ he did anything illegal ░░░░░░░░ just don t like ░░░░░░░░ he thinks and says ░░░░░░░░ in this country so ░░░░░░░░ we re a democracy ░░░░░░░░ have the First Amendment ░░░░░░░░ is not illegal.”