US Lawmakers Slam Detention Of Pro-Palestinian Students As ‘National Disgrace’

In a strong rebuke of immigration enforcement practices, several US lawmakers have openly criticized the prolonged detention of two international students—Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate of Columbia University, and Rümeysa Öztürk, a PhD candidate at Tufts University—by US immigration authorities. Their continued confinement, reportedly tied to their pro-Palestinian stance, has ignited concerns over constitutional rights and freedom of expression.

A bipartisan delegation, including Congressman Troy Carter, Representative Ayanna Pressley, Representative Bennie Thompson, Representative Jim McGovern, Senator Ed Markey, and ACLU of Louisiana’s Executive Director Alanah Odoms, visited two detention centers in Louisiana where the students have been held for over a month.

Lawmakers Decry Violation of Constitutional Freedoms

Following their oversight visit on Tuesday, Congressman Carter addressed the media, emphasizing the students’ distress and the implications for civil liberties. “They are frightened, they’re concerned, they want to go home,” Carter stated. “We stand firm with them in support of free speech.”

The delegation was united in condemning the Trump-era detention practices. Representative Pressley described the current immigration approach as “rogue and lawless,” while Senator Markey went further, labeling the detentions a “national disgrace.”

“We are witnessing a turning point in American history where the constitution is being undermined,” Markey said. “What we saw in these detention centers today is deeply disturbing.”

Call for Human Rights and Immigration Reform

The incident sheds light on broader issues concerning immigration enforcement and the balance between national security and individual freedoms. Human rights advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have repeatedly called for reforms in how immigration cases are handled, especially those involving students and activists.