A prominent Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil, who played a significant role in leading protests at Columbia University, is now facing deportation after being apprehended by federal immigration agents over the weekend. Khalil, who graduated from the university in December, was arrested on Saturday by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed the arrest, attributing it to an executive order from former President Donald Trump aimed at curbing antisemitism.
While Khalil has not been formally charged with a crime, his lawyer, Amy Greer, reported that the agents initially claimed their actions were based on a State Department order to revoke his student visa. However, upon learning that Khalil is a lawful permanent resident with a green card, the agents indicated they would instead seek to revoke his permanent resident status. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a national Muslim civil rights organization, is collaborating with Khalil’s lawyer and has called for his immediate release. CAIR emphasized that Khalil is a lawful permanent resident who has not been charged with any crime, stating, “The Department of Homeland Security’s lawless decision to arrest him solely because of his peaceful anti-genocide activism represents a blatant attack on the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech, immigration laws, and the very humanity of Palestinians.”
During the same weekend as Khalil’s arrest, federal immigration authorities also attempted to detain a second international student at Columbia. This incident involved ICE agents who visited the student’s university-owned residence but were prevented from entering the apartment by the student union representing her. The union noted that the ICE agents attempted to enter without a warrant, which led to them being turned away. In response to these events, Columbia University circulated guidance to students regarding federal authorities on campus, clarifying that ICE agents generally require a judicial warrant or subpoena to access non-public areas.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on the situation via a post on X, stating that the administration plans to “revoke the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.” Khalil's arrest marks the first known deportation effort linked to Trump's administration’s crackdown on students protesting the war in Gaza. Trump has claimed that individuals supporting Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., have forfeited their rights to remain in the country.
Khalil, along with other leaders of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest movement, has denied accusations of antisemitism, asserting their participation in a broader anti-war initiative that includes Jewish students and organizations. Nonetheless, the divestment group has, at times, expressed support for leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, another group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S.
Currently, Khalil is being held in an immigration detention facility in Louisiana, having initially been transferred from a facility in New Jersey. According to ICE’s online detainee database, his birthplace is listed as Syria. It remains uncertain when he will have a hearing in immigration court, a crucial step in the deportation process. As of now, ICE and DHS representatives have not responded to inquiries regarding the situation. Columbia University has refrained from commenting on Khalil’s arrest.
In light of these developments, a protest has been organized for later Monday in front of ICE’s offices in Manhattan. Khalil was a highly visible figure during last year’s protests, serving as a negotiator for students who established a tent encampment on campus. Pro-Israel activists have recently urged the Trump administration to initiate deportation proceedings against him. Furthermore, records shared with The Associated Press indicate that Khalil is among those being investigated by a new office at Columbia, which has already filed disciplinary charges against numerous students for their pro-Palestinian activism. Khalil recently earned a master’s degree from Columbia’s School of International Affairs, and his wife, an American citizen, is currently eight months pregnant.
