NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and former graduate student at Columbia University, on Saturday night at his university-owned residence.
This arrest has triggered significant criticism, with advocates claiming it undermines free speech and student activism. Khalil, a legal permanent resident with a green card, was reportedly informed by ICE agents that his student visa had been revoked.
When Khalil’s lawyer, Amy Greer, clarified his status as a green card holder, she was told, “We revoked that, too.”
Khalil’s arrest marked the first known deportation effort under President Donald Trump’s executive orders aimed at individuals accused of supporting Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization.
Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that Khalil “led activities aligned to Hamas,” citing his involvement in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.
“This arrest is in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting antisemitism,” McLaughlin added.
Khalil’s lawyer, Amy Greer, strongly refuted the allegations, describing the arrest as “a clear escalation” and “an aggressive abuse of immigration law.”
Greer claimed that Khalil’s activism aimed to advocate for Palestinian rights and critique Israel’s actions in Gaza.
“ICE’s arrest and detention of Mahmoud follows the U.S. government’s open repression of student activism and political speech,” Greer said. “This reeks of McCarthyism.”
Khalil’s wife, an American citizen who is eight months pregnant, is worried about his detention. She was initially informed that Khalil was being held at an ICE facility in New Jersey but later learned that he had been transferred to the Jena/LaSalle Detention Facility in Louisiana.
“We don’t even know the charges against him,” Greer said. “We will vigorously pursue Mahmoud’s rights in court.”
The arrest has drawn condemnation from civil liberties organizations and student groups. Donna Lieberman, director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, called the detention “a frightening escalation of Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestine speech. This is an aggressive abuse of immigration law and a direct attack on free expression.”
Columbia University, which has faced scrutiny for its handling of anti-Semitism allegations, confirmed reports of ICE activity on campus. “The university has and will continue to follow the law,” a spokesperson said.
The Trump administration recently announced plans to revoke $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University, accusing it of failing to address anti-Semitism on campus. Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on Khalil’s arrest, stating, “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
[…] Mahmoud Khalil, a citizen and activist who gained attention for his involvement in protests against Israel at Columbia University, is facing deportation after an immigration court ruled in favor of his removal from the United States. […]