An anti-KKK law is being used to sue the Trump admin. Will it work?

Mahmoud Khalil is suing the Trump administration, alleging a "public-private conspiracy" to punish him for pro-Palestinian speech. The law he's using dates back to 1871 — it's called the Ku Klux Klan Act.

It's the same statute civil rights attorney Randolph McLaughlin used in the 1980s when he become one of the first lawyers to successfully sue the Klan. McLaughlin walks us through how that Reconstruction-era law has been used against the KKK, Unite the Right, and maybe next against ICE.

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An anti-KKK law is being used to sue the Trump admin. Will it work?

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening.

Learn more at plus. . See pcm. for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.