Protestors rallied outside Portland city hall Tuesday in opposition to the detention and potential deportation of Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil.
As a grad student at Columbia University in New York City, Khalil played a leading role in student protests against the war in Gaza. He was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this month, even though he is a legal permanent resident.
Event organizer and human rights activist Faisal Khan said Khalil's arrest sets a dangerous precedent.
"This is not just about Mahmoud. It is about the future of free speech and democracy and human rights in this country," he said.
Keyko Torres, with the immigrant support group Presente! Maine, said immigration enforcement in Maine and across the country is nothing new. But Torres said the targeting of a protestor signals an escalation.
"Now, under Trump, we're seeing the explicit and open promise that Khalil's arrest is the first of many," Torres said.
Other speakers also decried Israel's renewed attacks in Gaza, following airstrikes overnight on Tuesday that killed hundreds of people
