Full transcript of the interview is available at https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5326015 and archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20250313171934/https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5326015
Key excerpt,
MARTIN: So what - how did he support Hamas? Exactly what did he do?
EDGAR: Well, I think you can see it on TV, right? It’s - this is somebody that, you know, we’ve invited and allowed the student to come into the country, and he put himself in the middle of the process of basically pro-Palestinian activity. And at this point, like I said, the Secretary of State can review his visa process at any point and revoke it…
MARTIN: Forgive me - he’s a…
EDGAR: …And that’s what we’ve done.
MARTIN: …Permanent resident. He’s not a visa holder. He’s a legal permanent resident. He has the green card, at least he did until it’s alleged that it was revoked. So, look, if the allegation is that Mr. Khalil organized protests and made speeches, after which other people engaged in prohibited activity or say, violent activity, well, Mr. Trump gave a political speech on January 6, 2021, after which some individuals engaged in violent and illegal acts. How is this any different?
EDGAR: Yeah. Well, like I said, I mean, President Trump’s a citizen and president of the United States. This is a person that came in under a visa. And again, the Secretary of State, at any point, can take a look and evaluate that visa and decide if they want to revoke it and…
MARTIN: He’s a legal permanent resident. I have to keep insisting on that. He is a legal permanent resident. So what is the standard? Is any criticism of the Israeli government a deportable offense?
EDGAR: Like I said, I think that at this point, when he was - entered into the country on a student visa, at any point, we can go through and evaluate what his status is and the Secretary of State is basically…
MARTIN: Is any criticism of the United States government a deportable offense?
EDGAR: Like I said, you know, if you go through the process and you’re a student and you’re here on a visa and you go through at any point, you…
MARTIN: Is any criticism of the government a deportable offense?
EDGAR: Like I said, you know, as a student, he comes to the United States on a student visa, applies - let me put it this way, Michel - imagine if he came in and filled out the form and said I want a student visa. They ask him, what are you going to do here? I he said I’m going…
MARTIN: He was a student.
EDGAR: …To go and protest. And…
MARTIN: So is protest…
EDGAR: …Join an antisemitic activity…
MARTIN: …A deportable event?
EDGAR: …We would never have let him in the country.
MARTIN: Is protesting a deportable offense?
EDGAR: Like I said, you’re focused on protesting. I’m focused on it’s a visa process. He went through a legal process, came into the country…
MARTIN: Are you saying that he lied on his application? He’s a lawful…
EDGAR: Well, I think…
MARTIN: …Permanent resident, married to an American citizen.
EDGAR: Well, I think if he would have declared he’s a terrorist, we would have never let him in.
MARTIN: And what did he engage in that constitutes terrorist activity?
EDGAR: I mean, Michel, have you watched it on TV? It’s pretty clear.
MARTIN: No, it isn’t.
Holy fucking shit! I’m lost for words
just looks like a person trying to talk to a cop.
this is one of the reasons you don’t do that btw. the other is that they’ll lie about what you said and use it to convict you of stuff, and every judge believes them. but this is a pretty close second to that.
Dude… Did COVID just break everyone’s brains? What the fuck is happening. Just reading the transcript was infuriating enough. He kept saying visa, despite being corrected several times. What a piece of shit.
you’ve never had the poor judgement to talk to a cop have you? they have all always been like this. if you read old 40s german nazis, they sound like this too.
I know you’re joking, but there was a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that people that had mild covid suffered a 3 IQ point loss. And that is additive with each bout of covid.
The IQ loss for a severe case of covid was 9 points. I believe this was measured at least a year after infection, though I could be misremembering that part.
Stating this in a relevant thread like I’m doing here and linking to the actual study got me banned from a sub reddit.
But this guy just sounds like a propagandist.
But this guy just sounds like a propagandist.
Yeah, no need to attribute to COVID what we can attribute to the art of lying until it’s true
I know for certain that COVID made me stupider.
Honestly, that the other person didn’t ease up on the point was refreshing. Vague/double talking/lying politicians isn’t new, but I feel like I only ever see journalists meekly accept whatever dribble they’re given.
Actually…sort of.
You could argue that COVID pushed more people to social media, which meant that they were interacting with people based on algorithms and not due to interests.
But let’s be clear here: the leaders we have are pieces of shit. They’ve always been pieces of shit.
COVID just gave them a platform.
I was listening to this one live, and it was great to hear somebody finally holding people to the fire. Unfortunately, it’s on NPR, which means none of the people who need to hear it are going to.
Yes. Yes it is. It’s a xenophobic and racist government you have there. Of course talking against it is a deportable offense. They don’t want you there, and they will do whatever in their hands to kick you out from the country.
Magastan is not a democracy anymore, it’s becoming Russia v2.0
Trump said a ton of bad things about America just a few months back before the election maybe he should be deported
Who would take him?
I listened to this interview this morning and wanted to reach through my phone and smack some sense into that guy. The interviewer kept asking direct questions and Edgar kept giving non answers. And I don’t know how many times the interviewer corrected him that Khalil is married to an American and is a naturalized citizen but Edgar kept saying he was here on a visa even after being corrected numerous times.
His responses were right out of the authoritarian play book, never acknowledge you’re wrong and toe the party line. I know it’s the point but goddamn is that exasperating.
this is one of the many reasons there is no point in talking anymore. they can’t be reasoned with, they refuse to be negotiated with. they will kill us if they are not stopped.
“Permanent resident” is a step before “naturalized citizen” (but a step after “visa holder”)
Jesus fucking Christ. I don’t think I have the self control to not try and beat up that fucker if I was Martin and had to interview him.
It’s just deflection deflection deflection. Just admit you’re a fucking racist xenophobic piece of shit and are defending the same kind of government.
not just deflection. repeating lies.
“Like I said, like I said, like I said, like I said, like I said…”
This guy is a fuck.
“watch TV” you know TV can lie right?
At point in the interview Michelle Martin, the interviewer asked him to explain it for people that hadn’t seen it on tv and he couldn’t even do that.
That is a breath taking claim to power. If you entered on a visa of any kind they are claiming they can review that specific event and deport you no matter what your current status is.
That reporter missed a very important question, do they believe they can do this to a naturalized citizen?
Doesn’t matter they will do it anyway. Laws don’t mean a thing to them
not buying a Tesla is too
