Press Releases

Washington, D.C. (March 11, 2025)—Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s detainment of Mahmoud Khalil:

“The Constitution guarantees that everyone in our country enjoys the protection of the First Amendment, including the right to speak freely without fear of retribution by the government. We cannot allow this nation to slide into a system of presidential authoritarianism, where people are seized at their homes, arrested, and detained simply for expressing disfavored political viewpoints.

“The detention of Mahmoud Khalil is ripped straight from the authoritarian playbook. His arrest sets an extremely dangerous and chilling precedent from an administration that is hellbent on wielding fear and intimidation as weapons to crush political dissent. All Americans, including those who strongly disagree with Khalil’s speech, should be outraged by this brazen attack on our fundamental freedoms.

“Meanwhile, House Republicans—even those among them who so valiantly decry censorship and government infringement on free speech—have now turned silent as Trump tramples the First Amendment. In their silence they too are complicit in this shocking assault on our right to speak freely.

“Trump is at war with the Constitution. His lawlessness is a threat to our freedom. I am closely monitoring the situation.”