Trump tried to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian U.S. permanent resident, for his political views

Frida Ghitis: Free speech is central to conservative pundit class's supposed defense of free speech.

She says Mahmoud Khalil , a Palestinian U.S. permanent resident, was arrested and tried to be deported by the Trump regime.

Ghitis says it's a clear attack on the First Amendment and constitutionally protected free speech in America .

He says conservatives who have opposed cancel culture are quick to support state violence against critics of Israel .

Frida Ghitis: Many conservative voices on X argue in support of Mahmoud Khalil ’s removal from the U.S. , while sharing nothing regarding the free speech concerns or unconstitutionality of this action.

Ghitis says the targeting of Khalil by Trump and the conservative media ecosystem is just the latest escalation in a decadeslong campaign to silence critics of Israel .

She says too many conservative voices are quick to defend free speech when it serves their ideological goals, but are equally quick to endorse the violent repression of free speech.

Donald Trump's actions have brought the vigorous defense of freedom of speech and support for the Palestinian people back into the center of U.S. political debate.

Senior Democratic Party leaders have been muddled in their own language.

The critical task is to combine a robust rejection of Trump ’s repression of Palestinian voices with strategies that advance the broader cause.