NEW YORK — A well-known Palestinian activist, prominent for his role in leading protests at Columbia University, is now facing deportation following his recent arrest by federal immigration authorities.
Mahmoud Khalil, a recent graduate of Columbia University as of December, was detained on Saturday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the arrest, citing executive orders from former President Donald Trump aimed at combatting antisemitism. Khalil has not been officially charged with any crime.
Khalil’s attorney, Amy Greer, stated that the agents, who detained Khalil at his university-owned residence near campus, initially claimed they were acting under a State Department order to revoke his student visa. However, when Greer pointed out that Khalil holds a green card as a permanent resident, the agents declared their intention to revoke that documentation as well.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a leading Muslim civil rights organization, announced on Monday that it is collaborating with Khalil’s attorney and demanded his immediate release.
“Khalil is a lawful permanent resident who has not been charged with or convicted of any crime,” the organization stated from its base in Washington. “The action by the Department of Homeland Security to arrest him based solely on his peaceful anti-genocide activism is a direct assault on the First Amendment right to free speech, our immigration laws, and the very humanity of Palestinians.”
Over the weekend, ICE agents also attempted to detain a second international student at Columbus University, but were unsuccessful. The student, who remains unnamed, was nearly taken into custody, according to a union representing her. The exact grounds for ICE’s actions are currently unclear.
The Student Workers of Columbia, which is a union of graduate students including the unnamed woman, reported that ICE agents tried to enter her university-owned accommodation on Friday night without a warrant.
“The agents faced rightful refusal at the door,” the union stated.
That same weekend, Columbia University disseminated guidelines for students involving the protocol for federal authorities entering the campus. The document specifies that “ICE agents generally require a judicial warrant or subpoena to access non-public areas,” such as student housing.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Sunday via a social media post that the administration plans to “revoke the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America for deportation.”
Khalil represents the first individual detained for deportation under the Trump administration’s promise to crack down on student protests against the Gaza conflict.
Former President Trump asserted that the demonstrations indicate a forfeiture of residence rights for those showing support for Hamas, the Palestinian group governing Gaza, labeled by the U.S. as a terrorist entity.
Khalil, alongside other student leaders of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest movement, disputes these accusations, maintaining they are part of a wider anti-war initiative that includes Jewish students and organizations. Despite this, the divestment movement’s expressions of solidarity with Hamas and Hezbollah leaders have led to increased scrutiny.
According to ICE’s online detainee database, Khalil is currently detained in Louisiana after initially appearing in a New Jersey facility. His birthplace is recorded as Syria.
Details concerning when Khalil will face immigration court—customarily the starting step in potential deportations—remain unknown. Neither ICE nor DHS representatives returned requests for comment on Monday.
Columbia University has not issued a statement regarding Khalil’s arrest and has remained unresponsive so far.
A protest was organized for Monday in front of ICE offices located in Manhattan.
Khalil had been a central figure in last year’s demonstrations, acting as a student negotiator when a tent encampment was set up on campus. Recently, pro-Israel advocates have urged the Trump administration to commence his deportation proceedings.
Khalil is also noted for being under investigation by Columbia’s Office of Institutional Equity, which deals with harassment and discrimination complaints. This office has already pursued disciplinary action against numerous students involved in pro-Palestinian activism.
Khalil received a master’s in international affairs during the last academic session. His wife, an American citizen, is currently eight months into her pregnancy.
Additionally, the Trump administration recently retracted $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University, attributing this decision to the institution’s alleged shortcomings in addressing antisemitism on its campus.
