MUST SEE: DHS Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar Grilled on Mahmoud Khalil Arrest

“What is the standard? Is any criticism of the Israeli government a deportable offense?“

On March 8, Troy Edgar was sworn in as Trump’s new deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

That same day, DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested former Columbia University grad student Mahmoud Khalil — a legal permanent resident of the United States who is married to an American citizen — for his involvement in the on-campus protests against Israel’s genocide.

On March 13, Edgar appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition to face a series of questions about the arrest, and the Trump administration’s planned deportation.

When pressed by host Michel Martin, he was unable to give a single example of Khalil’s alleged “terrorist” activity, “support of terrorism,” or any criminal activity at all.

We’ve created a video of this incredible exchange, based around the full, original audio. Watch:

Here’s a transcript (bold ours):

MARTIN: Mahmoud Khalil says he acted as a spokesperson for pro-Palestinian demonstrators and as a mediator with Columbia University, where he was a graduate student. As you know, Mr. Edgar, any conduct that can be legally sanctioned must be described. So, what is the specific conduct the government alleges that Mr. Khalil engaged in that merits removal from the United States?

EDGAR: Yeah. And, well, I think what you saw there is, uh, you've got somebody that has come into the country on a visa. And as he's going through the process of uh, of that visa process, he's come in to basically be the, uh– a student that is not gonna be supporting terrorism. So, ya know, the issue is, ya know, he was let into the country on this visa, he uh– he has been promoting this antisemitism activity at the university, and, um, at this point, the State Department has revoked his visa for supporting that terrorist-type organization. And, uh, we're the enforcing agency, so we've, uh, come in to basically arrest him.

MARTIN: Okay, so a White House official told the Free Press that there's no allegation that he broke any laws. So, again, I have to ask: What specifically constitutes ‘terrorist activity’ that he was supporting? What exactly do you say he did?

EDGAR: Well, like I said, I– you know, when you apply for a visa, you go through the process to, uh, be able to say that, uh, you know, that you're here on a student visa. It doesn't afford you all the rights of coming in and basically going through this process, uh, agitating and supporting Hamas. So, at this point, yeah, the Secretary of State and State Department maintains the right to revoke the visa, and that's what they've done.

MARTIN: So– so– what– how did he support Hamas? Exactly what did he do?

EDGAR: Well, I think you can see it on TV, right? It's uh– you know, this is uh, somebody that, uh, ya know– we've invited and allowed this student to come into the country, and uh, he's put himself in the middle of the process of basically pro-Palestinian activity. And at this point, like I said, the Secretary of State can review his visa process at any point and revoke it, and that's what we've done.

MARTIN: Forgive me, he's a permanent resident. He's not a visa holder. He's a legal permanent resident. He has the green card; at least he did, until it's alleged that it was revoked. So look, if the allegation is that Mr. Khalil organized protests and made speeches after which other people engaged in prohibited activity, or, say, violent activity. Well, Mr. Trump gave a political speech on January 6, 2021, after which some individuals engaged in violent and illegal acts. How is this any different?

EDGAR: Well, like I said, I mean, President Trump's a citizen and the president of the United States. This is a person that came in under a visa. And uh, again, the secretary of state at any point can take a look and evaluate that visa and decide if they want to revoke it. And–

MARTIN: He's a legal permanent resident. I have to keep insisting on it. He is a legal permanent resident. So what is the standard? Is any criticism of the Israeli government a deportable offense?

EDGAR: Uh, like I said, I think that at this point when he was– entered into the country on a student visa, uh, at any point we can go through and evaluate what his status is. And the Secretary of State–

MARTIN: Is any criticism of the United States government a deportable offense?

EDGAR: Uh, the– like I said, you know, if you go through the process and you're a student and you're here on a visa, and you go through at any point–

MARTIN: Is any criticism of the government a deportable offense?

EDGAR: It's– like I said, ya know– as a student, he comes to the United States on a student visa. Applied– let me put it this way, Michel. Imagine if he came in and filled out the form and said, 'I want a student visa.' They asked him, 'What are you gonna do here?'...

MARTIN: Well he was a student.

EDGAR: ...and he says, 'I'm going to go and protest, and join in antisemitic activity,' we would have never let him into the country.

MARTIN: So is protest a deportable event? Is protesting a deportable offense?

EDGAR: Like I said, you're focused on protests. I'm focused on this, uh, visa process. He went through a legal process, came into the country, and he–

MARTIN: Are you saying he lied on his application? He's a lawful permanent resident, married to an American citizen.

EDGAR: Well I think if he would have declared he's a terrorist, we would have never let him in.

MARTIN: And what did he engage in that constitutes terrorist activity?

EDGAR: I, uh, like– I mean, Michel, have you watched it on TV? It's pretty clear.

MARTIN: No, it isn't. Well, explain it to those of us who have not, or perhaps others have not. What exactly did he do?

EDGAR: Well, I think it's clear or we wouldn't be talking about it. I mean, the reality is that if you watch and see what he's done on the university, and he came in– if he would have declared that he was–

MARTIN: Do you not know? Are you telling us that you're not aware? You don't know what he did that's a deportable offense?

EDGAR: No, I– I– no. I find it interesting that you're not aware.

MARTIN: I think you could explain it to us. I think others would like to know exactly what the offenses are; what the propaganda was that you allege, what the activity was that you allege. Well, perhaps we can talk again and you can give us more details about this... Mr. Edgar, we really appreciate your coming to join us, and we do hope we'll talk again.

EDGAR: Thank you.

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