Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the arrest and effort to deport Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, stating that it is not about free speech. Rubio argued that individuals who enter the U.S. on visas or green cards do not have the right to be in the country and can be denied or revoked for various reasons. Khalil, a graduate student and legal U.S. resident, was detained by ICE after participating in anti-Israel protests at Columbia University. The arrest has sparked a debate over whether the Trump administration violated Khalil's First Amendment rights. Critics argue that the government's actions are intended to intimidate and chill speech on one side of a public debate.