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Teachers union for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo demands Khalil’s release

March 25, 2025

Statement from the California Faculty Association

The detention and targeting of Mahmoud Khalil is an outrageous assault on free speech, due process, and the fundamental rights of immigrant communities. His detention is a deliberate act of repression—an authoritarian attempt to silence protest, intimidate faculty and students, and crush dissent.

This glaring abuse of power sends a chilling message: those who challenge injustice risk being forcibly removed, detained, or worse. It is a tactic ripped straight from the playbook of regimes that fear critical thought and public resistance.

“We must preserve and defend our academic freedom and our first amendment rights to free speech,” said Michelle Ramos Pellicia, CFA San Marcos President and CFA Associate Vice President, South. “The attempts that we observe nationally and locally to curtail these freedoms set a dangerous precedent to rights that are coveted and protected. In these extraordinary times, intimidation, retaliation against individuals and groups that are protesting and defending the rights of trans people, undocumented community members, Black, Brown, Native, the genocide in Palestine are not the answer.

“The possible deportation of the student activist Mahmoud Khalil is a blatant example that the current presidential administration will stop at nothing to curtail free speech and protest,” Pellicia added. “We must fight hard instead of complying or acquiescing when our rights are on the line, or else we will lose our freedoms.”

We refuse to be silent as educators, students, and advocates are targeted for their work and activism. The California Faculty Association demands the immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil and the end of retaliatory actions against faculty, students, and workers exercising their rights to free speech and peaceful protest.

Institutions of higher learning must take a stand, implement strong protections for academic freedom, and resist any attempt to turn our campuses into sites of surveillance and repression.

Such suppression is spreading fast. Just yesterday, hundreds held an emergency rally in support of Momodou Taal, a Cornell University Ph.D. student, who was stalked by a law enforcement officer outside of his home in Ithaca. Taal and others are worried they are in danger of being thrown out of the country for their participation in pro-Palestinian protests.

The attack on Mahmoud Khalil is an attack on all of us who believe in democracy, justice, and the right to speak without fear. We will fight against these cruel and divisive policies and continue to demand equal justice for all. Our communities, our universities, and our shared future depend on it.

 


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He was not removed for “free speech”, so stop using that idiotic excuse. Also, he is not “palestinian”, but Syrian. (technically, there are no actual palestinians, as they are all Arabs from the Arabian countries and territories).


He encouraged and demanded the blocking and harassment of Jewish students. He encouraged and lead the occupation of College buildings and the resulting damages to these same buildings, even challenging and obstructing the Police response to these riots.


He distributed literature that encouraged violence and death to Israeli citizens, while holding Hamas completely innocent of any wrongdoing.


Just for this alone, he violated the precepts of his green card.


“Free speech” does NOT include inciting violence. Cal Poly “teachers” have shown they are not fit to be employed with our tax dollars.


3

It’s shocking and abhorrent how far the right have sunk; inhuman even. EVERY American should be defending free speech whether one likes whats being said or not.


-2

I find it strange that so many people who are on this comments section are against free speech. I also find it striking that they are also putting words in the mouth of the man speaking. He is Pro-Palestinian. This does not include “killing Jews”. This includes his own people having an equal right to exist. Labeling someone, who just wants himself and his family to have equal rights, as a murderer is insane. Think about what you are implying for just one moment. Do not be told what to think by media with an agenda of their own.


I, myself have Jewish heritage. I would not be down with the idea of “killing Jews”, but I am also dead set against the Israeli war criminal ordering the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, women, children and innocent non-combatants, so that a high-ticket resort can be built on their homeland.


Seriously, people. Allowing a man, who has done nothing against the law, to be taken away and incarcerated without due process, is a very slippery slope for you own rights. If you just don’t care about his, perhaps you care about you own.


-26

These teachers that are endorsing anti-Semitic hate and violence under the guise of free speech should be terminated.


27

He’s an anti-semite. Don’t make him a hero.


28

He’s not a hero, he’s an idiot, but neither of those things are actually important. In America we allow even the Nazis and Stalinists their right to free speech.


It’s possible to totally reject his viewpoints while also rejecting the government suppressing his speech and freedom without due process.


8

If one of us were to do what Khalil did as a guest of any country we would go to jail and then be sent home… a green card does not give you the right to direct a riot and call for the death of Jews… the fact that these teachers don’t know this should cause every student and parent to be concerned over Cal Poly’s level of education…


78

1. Most other countries would jail politically unpopular people, that’s a bad thing! This is America, we don’t do that. Again, I’m disgusted with his speech, but it’s his right as much as it is yours and mine.

2. Green card holders are entitled to the constitutional protections that citizens have – habeas corpus, freedom of expression, etc. I would argue all humans are endowed by their creator with those rights and liberty loving governments should respect those most basic rights regardless of where someone was born… But I digress…

3. If he caused a riot then he should be accused by the government, arrested for the violation, receive a fair trial, and if found guilty (remember the presumption of innocence should always be given) I’m 100% on board with revoking his green card and deporting the rabble rouser. But we are a country of laws and order; you can’t just skip to the end because we don’t like what they say. This is the most important piece – I’m happy to deport him, but the government has to prove their case in a court of law.


3

  1. That’s why he shouldn’t protest and disrespect our laws….

  2. And Green card holders are here by the grace of the Secretary of State and do not enjoy the constitutional rights we do…

  3. The government will prevail in this removal…


2

I absolutely detest the things Khalil has said, but he is ensured by the constitution the right to free speech like anyone else, no government can or should try to take away that right.


Free speech isn’t to protect popular speech, but rather the unpopular and repugnant view points. It’s a uniquely American freedom, more traditional and essential than apple pie.


-40

You have the freedom to say what you want but not free from the potential consequences of what you say.


59

This is literally what the woke, SJW, cancel culture college mobs say. Like word for word!


“Free speech for things I agree with but not for things I disagree with”. Look in the mirror! What happens if the left power (something that happens every 4-12 years), disagrees with something you say and *uses the Federal government* to punish you politically, financially, socially, would you say those are just “consequences”, no! It’s contrary to the freedom of speech to punish people for opinions they express.


2