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"1 year after Mahmoud Khalil's detainment, he says he's ready to fight for free speech."

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by Brittney Melton March 15, 2026 Good morning. This week, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville's anti-Muslim posts, Jeffrey Epstein's former accountant testified he was “not aware” of the convicted sex offender's crimes, and Anthropic sued the Trump administration over labeling it as a supply chain risk. ‘Fighting to stay in the country’   by Carrie Johnson, NPR's national justice correspondent One of the best things about radio is getting to hear directly from someone at the heart of the news: the measured choice of words, the voice rising to punctuate a point, the sudden sigh. In a pair of meetings this year with the former student activist Mahmoud Khalil, my colleague Ximena Bustillo and I did just that. Our sometimes emotional conversations spanned everything from his multiple legal battles across the federal courts and immigration court system to the careful way he lives now. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images Khalil came to national attention when he helped negotiate with Columbia University administrators during massive pro-Palestinian protests that rocked the campus. Protesters set up encampments in the heart of Columbia’s campus in 2024, during the war in Gaza, calling for the university to divest from Israel.  Then he became the story after the Trump administration took him into custody a year ago and moved to deport him. Secretary of State Marco Rubio used a little-known 1952 law to declare his presence in the U.S. could have potentially serious foreign policy consequences. Khalil spent 104 days in detention, mostly far away from his home in the New York area. Now free, the green-card holder is fighting to stay in the country alongside his wife and young son. These days, he’s devoting most of his energy to court filings, which he views as part of his full-time job. Khalil knows his legal challenges could reverberate far beyond his personal experience and set important precedent for immigrants’ free speech rights. "This case is not just about me; it's about whether the government can detain a lawful resident for political speech,” he said. He also shared more about what life has been like at the center of the storm, since his release from a crowded immigration center in Louisiana. He won’t walk outside alone with his son or take him to the park, for fear he could be detained anew by immigration officers. He looks behind his shoulder as he walks down the street, wears a baseball cap pulled low over his brow and chooses his seat on the subway carefully. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently raised Khalil’s case to President Trump. But it’s not clear what will come of that advocacy. Khalil isn’t taking anything for granted. It’s up in the air whether he and his wife will plan a big first birthday party for their son in April. He’s watching and waiting for the courts to determine his fate. Check out more great reads from the NPR network you may have missed: ➡️ This year, the Democratic Senate primary in Texas recorded its highest-ever turnout for any primary for statewide office in the state’s history. More than 2.3 million votes were cast. It's a promising sign for Democrats during a midterm election year. Texas Democrats saw a large shift in their favor in counties with large Latino populations. Trump won a record number of Latino voters for a Republican candidate in 2024, and his win included many heavily Latino counties in South Texas. ➡️ Fast food chains are launching new protein-packed products to attract American consumers. This push follows the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' January dietary guidelines, which encourage prioritizing protein at every meal. But nutrition experts have mixed feelings about this focus, noting that Americans are generally not protein-deficient. (via IPM News) ➡️ As global interest in deep-sea mining grows, the International Seabed Authority is developing rules for countries to lease and commercially mine internationally. The U.S. has opted out of the process and is forging ahead on its own. In January, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it would expedite permits to mine in international waters. The announcement alarmed conservation groups, who expressed concern about cuts to the environmental review process. Rebecca Loomis, staff attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Says it's "exponentially more risky to cut off opportunities for analysis and public input" in this "brand-new industry." ➡️ Easy-to-install solar panels that plug into regular outlets are gaining popularity as Americans worry about rising energy costs. These plug-in or balcony solar panels can reduce a homeowner's or renter's utility bill right away. To make them more widely available in the U.S., state lawmakers are proposing bills to eliminate complicated utility connection agreements. These are often required for larger solar rooftop installations, and most utilities say they should apply to plug-in solar too. But some legislators have delayed votes on these bills after electric utilities have raised safety concerns, primarily about lineworker safety during outages. Advocates for plug-in solar say concerns about the new technology have been addressed, and utilities are actually worried about losing business. Newsletter continues after sponsor message What does it mean to be an American? There’s no single answer. At NPR, we think of American identity as a story, one that’s constantly being rewritten by the people who live it. The American Storytelling collection brings together stories from local stations across the NPR Network, from small-town struggles to natural wonders to the layered histories that shape our nation. These are some of our biggest little-known shows, all in one place. Explore the American Storytelling channel on Apple Podcasts or find it in the NPR App. Listen Now ➔ Pod Club Warner Brothers Thanks for tuning in last week to the Life Kit episode that explores science-backed treatments and exercises to alleviate neck pain. NPR listener Alice Schmidt said the tips were very useful. “My first action is to change where my laptop computer is: I raised the stand so that the screen is at eye level,” Schmidt says. “The second action is to consciously hold my ears above my shoulders. That means I can't cross my legs while sitting — a hard habit to break.” Today, ahead of the Academy Awards, we’re listening to a Code Switch episode about the movie Sinners. It has already broken records as the most Oscar-nominated film in the history of the Academy Awards. But is the movie itself historic? And what implications will its success have for the future of Black filmmaking? This episode dives into the wider context of big, beloved films that fail to influence how Hollywood greenlights and funds future projects. Listen to the episode, or read the transcript. After listening to the episode, are there any other Black films that you feel should have moved the needle on filmmaking? If so, let us know which ones here. You could appear in next week's Sunday newsletter. Love podcasts? For handpicked episode recommendations every week, check out Pod Club — a newsletter written FOR podcast fans BY podcast fans. Subscribe here!  And as fans prepare for March Madness, The Sunday Story from Up First takes a look at an investigation by reporters Julia Haney and Elizabeth Santos. They found instances of athletes alleging emotional abuse from college basketball coaches. Some athletes say that the experience can cause lasting and even irreparable damage. On this episode, listeners hear how some athletes have found ways to push back.  BAD! NPR It's time for the Sunday Puzzle! This week's on-air challenge is BAD! Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase in which the first word starts with BA- and the second word starts with D-. For example, if puzzle master Will Shortz provides you with the clue “Where you leave your luggage after checking in for a flight,” the answer would be BAggage Dropoff. Test your skills here. Check the page later to hear the answers, or catch them live on Weekend Edition at 8:41 a.m. ET.  This week's online challenge comes from Mike Reiss, who's been a showrunner, writer, and producer of The Simpsons. Think of a popular movie franchise with many sequels. Hidden in consecutive letters inside its name is a food. Replace that food with a single letter and you'll get another popular film franchise. What films are these? Submit your answer here, and you could win a chance to play next Sunday's on-air puzzle.  Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from HPR-1 News/Talk (edit station). This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can  sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more!