Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon arrived at the courthouse set to host Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil's first hearing since being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), emphasizing the importance of the First Amendment.

"No matter where you stand on genocide, freedom of speech is an issue, is a right that we all have, and this is a turning point in the history and the freedom of this country," Sarandon told reporters.

Border Czar Tom Homan revealed during a Wednesday press conference that the order for ICE to arrest Columbia graduate and pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil came directly from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Homan continued to label Khalil as a "national security threat," further positing that "free speech has limitations."

"Can you stand in a movie theater and yell 'fire'? Free speech has limitations," Homan said.

"But when you go to [a] college campus ... protesting and locking down and taking over buildings and damaging property and handing out leaflets for Hamas, who is a terrorist organization," he continued. "Coming to this country either on a visa or becoming a resident alien is a great privilege, but there are rules associated with that."

Khalil, 30, was detained by ICE on Saturday night when officials arrived at his home. ICE officials stated that he was being detained because his student visa was being revoked, to which his wife responded by informing them that he was a green card holder. After she provided documents proving this, officials reportedly told her that his green card would be revoked, as reported by the Associated Press.

Khalil is not currently facing criminal charges. A federal judge blocked his deportation Monday. He is currently being held in a Louisiana detention center.

Sarandon herself is a prominent activist and has been outspoken in her support of Palestine since even before Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023.

"#GazaOnTheBrink: More than 900K Palestinerefugees depend on @UNRWA emergency food assistance. US$ 38 provides emergency food basket for a refugee family. Stand #ForPalestineRefugees and join #DignityIsPriceless," the actress tweeted in 2018.

Tags
Susan Sarandon, Donald trump, Marco Rubio, Palestine, Israel, Protest