Get out of my country, Mahmoud Khalil

Though I have always done my best to comprehend the arguments of my political opponents, I simply can’t wrap my head around the contention that the United States has any responsibility to hand permanent residency or citizenship, the greatest gift we offer, to an America-hating terror fanboy like Mahmoud Khalil.

There are millions of deserving people around the world dying to come here who would respect our laws and culture and become productive, peaceful citizens. People are always going on about how our immigration policy should focus on newcomers with skills. Wouldn’t it be better if we attracted foreigners who would make good Americans? At least let’s offer citizenship to those running from illiberal, violent philosophies not those trying to import them, like Khalil. He offers this country nothing of value.

I grew up around immigrants who had defected from communist nations. These were the most patriotic people I have ever known. They worked their asses off to build a life from the ground up. This brat—who somehow was allowed to come here on a student visa—is leading an insurrection at an Ivy league school. All he’s done as a guest here is make this country a lesser place.

This is not a First Amendment issue. No one has written a law abridging his right to free expression or claimed that visitors can’t speak their mind. No one is banning pro-Hamas protests. The country is lousy with them. But nowhere in the Constitution are we compelled to give citizenship to foreigners who support Islamists or any kind of terrorism. Green cards offer the highest level of protection before citizenship, yes, but they are still part of the vetting process. If we would refuse a visa to someone championing a terrorist group that murders Americans, we should have the right to revoke immigration status for the very same reason at any point.

And, anyway, Khalil lied on his visa application and broke the deal he made with the United States.

From my piece in the Examiner:

The Hamas-affiliated Council on American-Islamic Relations noted that Khalil “is a lawful permanent resident of our nation who has not been charged with or convicted of a single crime.”

So what?

You don’t need to be convicted of a crime to lose your immigration status.
The immigration card system exists so that newcomers can be properly vetted.
To become a citizen, you must exhibit “good moral character,” a criterion that Khalil doesn’t come close to meeting by any objective standard.
Just obey the law, pay taxes, and stay out of trouble.
Orchestrating and participating in harassment, vandalism, bigotry, and civil unrest at a once-esteemed Ivy League university falls under the label of “trouble.”

Then again, according to 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(4)(B), Khalil’s permanent residency can also be denied or revoked if he “endorses or espouses terrorist activity or persuades others to endorse or espouse terrorist activity or support a terrorist organization.” (My italics.)

Khalil, who came here initially on a student visa, does little else. The CUAD brags about fighting for the “total eradication of Western civilization” and explicitly advocates “global intifada” and “armed resistance” by Hamas, an organization designated a terrorist group by the U.S. Justice Department. As the New York Times reported last year, the group was “openly supporting militant groups fighting Israel and rescinding an apology it made after one of its members said the school was lucky he wasn’t out killing Zionists.” (Me again.)