Democrats are deeply conflicted over the Trump administration’s arrest of a Palestinian graduate student at Columbia University who faces deportation for his prominent role in campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war.

Khalil's attorneys said he is a green card holder married to a pregnant American citizen, and are challenging the validity of the arrest and detention. Khalil's arrest is the latest move by the Trump administration to make good on campaign promises to punish student protesters and universities the president argues have tolerated or encouraged anti-American and anti-Jewish sentiment during pro-Palestinian protests.