• A delegation of Democratic lawmakers visited detainees Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Öztürk in Louisiana.
• Lawmakers condemned their detentions as a "national disgrace," citing violations of constitutional rights.
• Both students face deportation amid the Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism.
• Khalil missed the birth of his child due to detention, while Öztürk has suffered health issues in custody.
• Legal challenges are ongoing against their detentions, with supporters demanding their immediate release.

A group of Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Ed Markey and Representatives Ayanna Pressley, Jim McGovern, and Troy Carter, visited Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Öztürk at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers in Louisiana. They described the detentions as a "national disgrace," emphasizing that the students have not been charged with any crime, and are being held unjustly under the Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism, according to BBC, CBS News, and The Hill.

During a press conference following their visit, Senator Markey criticized the detentions, calling them a violation of First Amendment rights and due process, labeling the administration's actions as a form of authoritarianism. Markey noted, "Freedom of speech and the right to due process are not suggestions in our country," highlighting the dangerous precedent this sets, according to AA and TRT Global.

Öztürk, a Turkish citizen studying for a PhD at Tufts University, was detained on March 25 after participating in pro-Palestinian protests. Her legal team maintains her writings, which included calls for the university to divest from Israel, are protected speech. Khalil, a graduate of Columbia University, similarly faced deportation attempts due to his activism, missing the birth of his first child while in custody. Lawmakers have expressed outrage over the hardships both are enduring in detention, according to AA, AA, and TRT Global.

The lawmakers' visit followed a pattern of increasing scrutiny on the Trump administration's immigration practices, particularly its treatment of students and activists critical of U.S. foreign policy. They argued that Khalil and Öztürk's experiences are part of a broader trend to silence dissent and criminalize political expression. Representative Pressley emphasized, "What’s happening to Rumeysa Ozturk and Mahmoud Khalil is a chilling and dangerous violation of their human rights," urging for their immediate release, according to BBC, The Hill, and TRT Global.