As protests erupt over Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest and possible deportation, the issues of free speech, national security, and immigrant rights have become tangled into one big mess. Some argue that Khalil’s actions, including his group’s extreme anti-Western rhetoric, provide clear grounds for deportation. Others view his arrest as an attack on our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly, betraying the American values that immigrants come to our country to enjoy. I’m breaking down the legal, ethical, and practical ramifications of this case and, most importantly, what it reveals about the current state of American society.