Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan could be seen melting down Wednesday on Piers Morgan’s show after being asked whether he believes pro-Hamas protesters with visas should still be allowed to stay in the United States.
Protests erupted earlier in the week after Syrian-born former Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials Saturday following his involvement in a student encampment at the university last year. While discussing the arrest with fellow guest Republican Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw on “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” Morgan jumped into the debate, honing in on the support of Hamas, which the United States designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.
“Mehdi, let me ask you a question,” Morgan said. “Should somebody who’s in America on a green card be allowed to support a terror organization? Because according to all the paperwork you fill in when you apply for a green card, if you do support one you would not be given a green card. Hamas are a prescribed terror group in the United States. He has supported Hamas. Therefore, if the United States government wanted to revoke his green card, they are perfectly within their rights to do so, as Dan has articulated.”
“Not true. Piers, you don’t — No, no, Dan has not articulated that at all,” Hasan said. “No law has been cited that says you can revoke his green card because of his speech. Piers, you don’t know what you’re talking about. You can’t revoke a green card because you don’t like someone’s speech.”
According to the Associated Press, Khalil’s green card was revoked due to alleged “activities aligned with Hamas, a designated terrorist organization,” leading to his arrest by DHS officials. Following the Syrian-born man’s arrest, Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X on Sunday, writing that the Trump administration “will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
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Morgan continued to argue with Hasan, saying that if someone supports a “terror group, you would not get a green card” and that it was protected by U.S. law.
“Where’s your evidence for that, Piers? You can’t just say stuff. Where’s your evidence for that?” Hasan asked.
Crenshaw could then be heard saying that the rule was protected by “U.S. Code 1227,” to which Hasan was seen looking off to the side before asking whether he would have to argue with both Morgan and Crenshaw at the same time.
“Fuck me,” Hasan sighed. “Is this really going to be two against one? You’re literally both talking at me at the same time. I’m not going to let you speak at one time. I can’t respond to two of you.”
“No, Piers asked me a question, Dan. I’m responding to Piers, so if you can hold your point. Piers asked me about withdrawing a green card. I’m telling you, Piers, there is no evidence he supports Hamas. If there was, they would have arrested him for it. They didn’t charge him with supporting Hamas.”
“The U.S. government and Fox News have had four days to produce all sorts of stuff, video evidence, photographic evidence. They’ve got nothing, which is why they’re not charging him with a crime,” Hasan added.
In April 2024, protesters at Columbia University violently took over a school building and damaged property. The occupation followed multiple protests against Israel on campus and in New York City.
Khalil was seen telling reporters at the time that he was the “lead negotiator” for Columbia University’s Apartheid Divest (CUAD) and was negotiating with the school to “meet” their “demands” in divesting from companies linked to Israel.
Morgan and Hasan continued arguing about CUAD, with Morgan saying that the group had “called October the 7th a victory.”
In October 2024, CUAD walked back its apology to students after Columbia student Khymani James said that “Zionists” did not deserve to live. The retraction said that James was facing “anti-blackness and queerphobia” from “neo-liberal media and fascists” and affirmed the group’s support for “liberation by any means necessary, including armed resistance.”
Featured Image Credit: Matthew Smith, Policy Exchange
