In the spring of last year, Columbia University in New York became a focal point for protests against the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Among the vocal figures that emerged from this movement was Mahmoud Khalil, an international-affairs graduate student who played a key role in advocating for the concerns of the protesters. The protesters were primarily focused on condemning Israel’s military actions in Gaza, urging the university to sever financial ties with entities supporting the war.
Khalil became a prominent spokesperson and mediator for the demonstrations, maintaining a visible presence on Columbia’s Manhattan campus. His aim was clear: ensure that the voices of those opposing the Israeli military operation were heard. “We want to be visible,” Khalil asserted in April of last year.
Recently, Khalil’s role in the protests has turned into a matter of national debate as President Donald Trump’s administration has targeted him as part of a broader crackdown on campus protests labeled as antisemitic and “anti-American.” Khalil was arrested by federal immigration agents over the weekend and is facing potential deportation, despite being a legal U.S. resident married to an American citizen.
For Trump and his administration, Khalil’s arrest is a strategic move in removing foreign students they accuse of fostering a hostile environment for Jewish students on American campuses. In contrast, civil rights advocates and Khalil’s lawyers argue that this detention infringes upon free speech rights and stifles pro-Palestinian viewpoints.
Khalil’s colleagues, including former British diplomat Andrew Waller, describe him as a thoughtful and conscientious individual. Khalil had worked alongside Waller at the UK’s Beirut-based embassy for Syria from around 2018 to 2022, where he managed a scholarship fund and contributed to diplomatic engagement efforts concerning Syria. Waller noted Khalil’s concerns that the incoming Trump administration might target him, fears that are now a potential reality.
Khalil’s journey has been one of resilience and academia. Initially set to study aviation engineering in Syria, his plans were disrupted by the civil war, prompting him to flee to Beirut. There, he engaged with an educational nonprofit aiding Syrian children and eventually pursued higher education at a Lebanese university. His academic journey led him to Columbia, where he delved into international affairs.
The campus protests over Gaza’s situation last spring saw Khalil taking on a mediative role, representing pro-Palestinian and Muslim student concerns. However, his prominent participation in these protests, often without a mask and openly identifiable, made him a focal point for criticisms labeling the protests antisemitic.
A Columbia Jewish Alumni Association has branded Khalil as a “ringleader of the chaos,” and a disciplinary committee has been reviewing allegations against him, including the claim that he referred to a university dean as “genocidal.”
Presently, Khalil is detained in a federal facility in Louisiana. The White House, through press secretary Karoline Leavitt, has advocated for his deportation, accusing him of organizing protests that disrupted campus activities and allegedly spread pro-Hamas propaganda. Hamas is recognized as a terrorist entity by the U.S. government.
Protest participants, such as Columbia senior Maryan Alwan, dispute the characterization of Khalil’s involvement. Alwan describes Khalil as calm and adept at resolving internal protest disputes. Outside activism, he engaged in everyday interests like cooking and playing in Columbia’s Arab Music Ensemble.
While Columbia protest leaders maintain that their movement is anti-war and not antisemitic, a university task force on antisemitism highlighted significant issues with the campus climate, documenting incidents of verbal abuse and exclusion faced by Jewish and Israeli students during the demonstrations.
Although Khalil completed his studies in December and is due to graduate in May, his personal life is also in a poignant moment. He and his spouse are awaiting their first child’s birth, with his wife in her eighth month of pregnancy. Through a statement by his attorneys, she implores the public to recognize Khalil as a dedicated husband and soon-to-be father, urging support to reunite their family so he can be at her side during the child’s delivery.
