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Student activists at universities across the United States are continuing to grapple not only with the escalating Israeli genocide in Gaza but also with the Trump administration’s criminalization of their actions in support of Palestinians.

With a deportation order against Mahmoud Khalil, a key Columbia university activist and green card holder, the Trump administration has made it clear that any opposition to Israeli domination will be interpreted as illegal, though the U.S. Constitution protects both free speech and the right to peacefully assemble. 

A new documentary, The Encampments, has captured the public’s attention, and it prominently features Khalil before his detainment. Julia Luz Betancourt, associate editor at YES! Media, recently reviewed the film and reported on how students are continuing their activism in the face of Trumpian repression. She spoke with YES! Senior Editor Sonali Kolhatkar on YES! Presents: Rising Up With Sonali about the film and the ongoing activism against genocide.