It is an incredibly tiresome tactic of those on the left to accuse free speech supporters of hypocrisy because they don’t jump immediately on every possible violation.

But the case of Mahmoud Khalil is an easy one. He was arrested by ICE, his lawyer says, because they believe they can detain and deport anyone who holds noxious views if they are still on a visa of some kind.

This is bad enough. Worse: Khalil is not on a visa; he is a green card holder. ICE has no right to detain him, neither does any part of any government, without charge. A Green Card holder is the equivalent of a citizen, as you may know from immigration control at airports.

So this is an administration seizing a citizen without charge because of his noxious views and morally questionable activism. It is a test case for consistency on the free speech right. It is a direct assault on the First Amendment. It must not stand another day.

Yet looking around the web today, so many of my usual free speech supporters are quiet. Even FIRE is mealy-mouthed. Give them time. But to say it’s disturbing to see one of the most fundamental rights being violated to such indifference is an understatement.

There really is a market for fascism in the US.