A court docket ordered Trump’s crew to free an activist. They refused.

[ad_1] This story appeared in The Logoff , a day by day publication that helps you keep knowledgeable in regards to the Trump administration with out letting political information take over your life. Subscribe here .

Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration is defying a federal decide’s order that it free a pro-Palestinian activist, attacking each the rule of legislation and the Structure’s assure of free speech.

Catch me up? In March, the Trump administration arrested Mahmoud Khalil , a pro-Palestinian activist and former Columbia College pupil, and designated him for deportation over his participation in campus protests. Mahmoud was a authorized everlasting US resident, however the administration argued it has the correct to revoke Khalil’s inexperienced card on the grounds that his presence constitutes a risk to US international coverage. Khalil sued to cease the deportation, and the 2 sides have been in court docket ever since.

So what occurred this week? On Wednesday, a federal judge ordered the administration to free Khalil. However right this moment, the administration mentioned it will not free him, arguing unconvincingly that it’s nonetheless detaining Khalil for a totally different violation. (The judge’s ruling to free Khalil explicitly anticipated this technique and described it as legally unsound.)

What’s subsequent? The administration says that it'll attraction the order to the next court docket — and hold Khalil detained within the meantime.

What’s the large image? If Khalil had performed all the identical protest actions on behalf of a trigger favored by the administration, he’d nonetheless be free. That signifies that, underneath Donald Trump, immigrants are going through penalties for expressing political views that the administration objects to — a transparent violation of the First Modification.

And with that, it’s time to log out…

I’m in determined want of a protracted stroll with my canine and a podcast, so I’m excited in regards to the new episode of As we speak, Defined . The episode is concentrated on Dropout, a streaming platform whose followers are so devoted that a few of them are literally asking to pay extra for the service. (You possibly can hear on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , and elsewhere .) I hope everybody has a secure and fulfilling weekend, and I’ll see you again right here Monday.