The White House has publicly expressed discontent with Columbia University for not cooperating with federal efforts to identify participants involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, as part of an increased governmental initiative to deport those individuals. This dissatisfaction comes amid the administration’s decision to withdraw federal research funding from the institution, effective last Tuesday.
On Saturday, Mahmoud Khalil, a legal U.S. resident hailing from Palestine, and a prominent activist in Columbia University’s protests last year, was detained by immigration enforcement agents. Khalil is currently facing the threat of deportation.
President Donald Trump has indicated that more arrests are anticipated. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in a press briefing, revealed that federal authorities are utilizing intelligence to track individuals involved in demonstrations on campuses that criticized Israel. The administration asserts these protests were antisemitic and “pro-Hamas.”
According to Leavitt, Columbia was provided with names but has declined to assist the Department of Homeland Security in identifying the individuals on their campus. “As the president sternly stated yesterday, he will not tolerate such non-cooperation,” Leavitt remarked.
Columbia University’s spokesperson didn’t directly address the administration’s claims when reached for comment. However, they referred to a letter sent to students by Interim President Katrina Armstrong, stating, “We will adhere to the law, as consistently upheld, and any allegations implying that Columbia’s leadership invited U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement onto campus are unfounded.”
Recently, the Trump administration announced a rescission of $400 million in grants and contracts from Columbia, contending that the university had failed to combat antisemitism effectively. These cuts also involved the National Institutes of Health retracting over $250 million in funding, impacting more than 400 grants.
X. Edward Guo, the head of Columbia’s Bone Bioengineering Laboratory, shared on X a notification indicating the cancellation of one of his NIH grants. “The news may come as a shock,” the notification read.
Last spring, the university was the scene of significant student protests demanding an end to Israeli military actions in Gaza and asserting Palestinian human rights and territorial claims. Eventually, Columbia involved law enforcement to dismantle a protest encampment and cease the occupation of an administration building.
Khalil, aged 30, was a spokesperson for these protesters. Although he hasn’t been charged with any crimes, Leavitt indicated the administration is pursuing his deportation under a clause in the Immigration and Nationality Act. This provision permits the deportation of non-citizens if their presence is believed to potentially harm U.S. foreign policy.
Khalil is being held at an immigration detention facility in Louisiana as of Tuesday. Civil rights advocates and Khalil’s legal representatives argue the government is misusing its immigration authority to silence him. A federal judge has scheduled a hearing and temporarily prohibited Khalil’s deportation.
In recent comments, Trump claimed that some protesters support Hamas, referencing the group’s attack on Israel in October 2023, which resulted in significant casualties and abductions. In retaliation, Israel launched bombardment operations in Gaza, leading to extensive casualties, with over 48,000 Palestinians killed according to reports, including more than 17,000 alleged militants.
Trump celebrated Khalil’s arrest as the initial step in addressing such activities, vowing further deportations of students alleged to be involved in “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity.” Immigration officials attempted to detain another international student at Columbia, but were unsuccessful in entering her residence.
Khalil, who completed the requirements for a master’s degree at Columbia in December, maintains that both he and the leaders of the protests advocate peace, not antisemitism. They point out that some Jewish students and organizations have supported their cause. Recently, a disciplinary body at Columbia informed Khalil that they were investigating him for potentially violating a harassment policy by labeling a school official “genocidal.”
Leavitt did not specify Khalil’s direct offenses but accused him of organizing disruptions and distributing pro-Hamas propaganda. Khalil, born in Syria and descended from displaced Palestinians, is married to a U.S. citizen who is expecting their first child. His wife appealed for support, urging others to view Khalil as a devoted husband and soon-to-be father, emphasizing the need for him to be present for the birth of their child.
