Resolution in Support of Mahmoud Khalil

March 20, 2025

WHEREAS, Mahmoud Khalil, along with thousands of students and union members around the country participated in campus protests of the Israeli genocide and Israeli apartheid regime against Palestinians;

WHEREAS, Mahmoud Khalil was placed in an extrajudicial detention on March 8th 2025 based on his Palestinian nationality/residency status and his exercising of his right to free speech;

WHEREAS, the threat of deportation of Khalil sets a dangerous precedent for the deportation of lawful residents and the repression of free speech which could be extremely detrimental to the ability of MLK Labor affiliates to organize workers;

WHEREAS, Columbia University took the opportunity to also expel and fire student worker and president of UAW Local 2710, Grant Miner on March 13th, one day before UAW contract negotiations were due to start as both an anti union unfair labor practice and as an attempt to silence the Columbia UAW 2710, which has been outspoken in their condemning of the genocide in Gaza;

WHEREAS, the intention of these actions by both Columbia University and the Federal Government is to intimidate political opposition into silence and inaction and remove non citizens from all political speech;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that MLK Labor resoundingly condemn the unjust arrest of Mahmoud Khalil as a blatant violation of the right to free speech and freedom of assembly and ask that the AFL-CIO calls for the immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that MLK Labor put together a task force of relevant community groups and affiliate unions to help prepare union leadership and rank and file members of the possibility of future similar actions by the Federal government against non citizen led political speech, including but not limited to deportation, imprisonment, and illegal firings.