Protesters gathered in downtown Miami this weekend to call for the release of a former Columbia University student who was arrested by immigration authorities. 7News cameras captured several demonstrators in front of the Torch of Friendship, Saturday afternoon, as they chanted and held up signs i n a show of solidarity for Mahmoud Khalil. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took Khalil into custody on March 8. The 30-year-old helped organize pro-palestinian rallies on the university’s campus n New York City last year. Khalil is also green card holder, a legal permanent resident of the U.S. Advocates who attended Saturday’s rally, one of several that were planned across the country this weekend, told 7News that the government is turning Khalil into a political prisoner. “They want to make it so they don’t have freedom of expression, they don’t have freedom of speech, so that they don’t have the right to speak out against injustices that our own government is committing,” said protester Medina Adam. “I believe that every American should have the right to express themselves. Every person in this country should have the right to express themselves.” A federal judge has temporarily blocked immediate efforts to deport Khalil, but now the Justice Department could investigate pro-Palestinian protesters under terrorism charges if they find violence was threatened on behalf of Hamas. ...read more read less