What rights do green card holders have as Trump's immigration crackdown intensifies?

Boston Globe

18-03-2025

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Khalil was arrested the same week as Fabian Schmidt, a German national who lives in New Hampshire. Schmidt, who is also a green card holder, was detained at Logan International Airport in Boston after returning from a weeklong trip to Germany to visit his father, his family has said.
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Here's a quick primer on the green card process, including who qualifies, when a card can be revoked, and what's known about recent detentions.
What is a green card, and who can obtain one?
Officially known as a permanent resident card, a green card allows holders to live and work permanently in the country, according to the
The card, which confers permanent legal status to holders, is different from a visa, which allows people to remain in the U.S. for purposes such as work for temporary periods, according to immigration attorneys.
There are many eligibility categories for a green card, including being married to a US citizen, having special job skills, or having refugee or asylee status.
The application process can take anywhere from 10 months to several years, depending on the applicant's situation,
Applicants are thoroughly vetted, providing fingerprints, photos, and a signature, followed by an interview before a final decision on the card is made.
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When can a green card be revoked?
A green card can be revoked for serious criminal convictions or fraud, and also if the holder spends an extended period of time outside the U.S., according to authorities and immigration attorneys.
The Trump administration has recently arrested some green card holders, including Schmidt, upon their arrival at U.S. airports from trips abroad.
According to his family, Schmidt has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction in the past. He has been charged with misdemeanors, including possession of a controlled substance, driving under the influence, hunting without a license, and failure to appear for jail, while he lived in California, according to court records.
The records show that Schmidt has attended recovery programs, paid small fines, and was placed on probation to resolve his cases.
There are no current charges against him, according to his family.
Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said she would advise all green card holders with 'any type of past criminal history' or anyone involved in 'the kinds of activities that seem to be getting the administration's attention,' to consult with an immigration attorney.
I'm a green card holder. Should I travel outside the US right now?
Some colleges and universities say no, including Brown University.
Officials at the Ivy League school in Providence, Rhode Island, are advising international community members, including visa and green card holders, to postpone travel outside the country. That recommendation came after
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Federal prosecutors said in court papers Monday that Alawieh was questioned by US Customs and Border Protection agents at Logan Airport about photos on her phone of Iran's supreme leader and a leader of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group backed by Iran.
Having photos of such figures on a cell phone is not a crime under US law, but 'upon the discovery of these photos and videos, Customs and Border Protection questioned Dr. Alawieh and determined that her true intentions in the United States could not be determined,' prosecutors wrote.
A Brown official said in a note to the campus community that other green card holders could encounter issues going forward.
'Potential changes in travel restrictions and travel bans, visa procedures and processing, re-entry requirements, and other travel-related delays may affect travelers' ability to return to the U.S. as planned,' wrote Russell C. Carey, Brown's executive president for planning and policy, in an email on Sunday that was obtained by the Globe.
Mukherjee
said Monday that green card holders should proceed with caution right now when making international travel plans.
'Lawful permanent residents may wish to consult with a trustworthy immigration attorney before traveling abroad,' Mukherjee said in a statement. 'Assessing your risk factors before leaving the United States is advisable.'
Is it rare for green card holders to be detained by federal immigration authorities?
Not necessarily, though some of the recent high-profile cases, including Khalil's, have been atypical.
'It is not unusual for permanent residents to be placed in removal proceedings in Immigration Courts,' said Mukherjee. 'Permanent residents can be subject to deportation based on convictions for committing serious crimes, engaging in fraud, or unlawfully voting.'
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But in Khalil's case, Mukherjee said, authorities are citing
Citing that statute in such cases is 'extraordinarily rare,' Mukherjee said. 'I am unaware of this ground ever having been used as the sole charge against a lawful permanent resident.'
To suggest that 'someone's speech has potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences' for the nation 'will be a very interesting case to see play out,' Sweet said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he revoked Khalil's permission to be in the U.S. because of his role in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, saying they'd 'anti-Jewish' sentiment and amounted to support for Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza and attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Lawyers for Khalil have rejected assertions that their client has acted as a Hamas supporter, writing in court filings that it's 'very important' for him 'to be able to continue his protected political speech, advocating and protesting for the rights of Palestinians — both domestically and abroad.'
How many green card holders are currently in Mass. and the other New England states?
Last year, Massachusetts was home to an estimated 340,000 green card holders, according to Homeland Security data.
The only other New England state listed in the data set from DHS was Connecticut, where approximately 140,000 green card holders lived in 2024, the data says.
The top four states for green card holders last year, comprising more than half the national tally, were California with approximately 2.8 million, New York with 1.5 million, and Texas and Florida with 1.3 million each, according to the data. These are also some of the most populous states.
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Massachusetts's total last year made up 3 percent of the nationwide tally.
Material from the Associated Press and from prior Globe stories was used in this report.
Travis Andersen can be reached at