U.S. immigration authorities have arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student at Columbia University, as part of President Donald Trump’s intensified efforts to curb anti-Israel activism. Khalil, a student at the university’s School of International and Public Affairs, was taken into custody by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents at his university residence on Saturday evening, according to a statement by the Student Workers of Columbia labor union.
Khalil, a U.S. permanent resident, is married to a U.S. citizen who is currently eight months pregnant, according to reports. His detention has been widely condemned by civil rights organizations, which argue that his arrest constitutes an attack on protected political speech.
Allegations and Government Response
The DHS stated in a social media post that Khalil was arrested for "leading activities aligned to Hamas," though it did not provide further details. U.S. law prohibits providing “material support or resources” to terrorist organizations, including Hamas, but does not define or criminalize “activities aligned to” such groups. Neither DHS nor the Department of Justice has accused Khalil of providing material support to Hamas or of any other crime.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared news of the arrest on social media, stating, “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.” However, Rubio did not elaborate on the legal basis for such actions, and his office did not respond to media inquiries.
Khalil had expressed concerns about being targeted for his activism in an interview with Reuters just hours before his arrest. He has been a prominent figure in Columbia’s pro-Palestinian student movement, acting as a lead negotiator with school administrators during recent campus protests.
Trump Administration’s Crackdown on Campus Activism
Khalil’s arrest follows President Trump’s broader efforts to crack down on foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which he has labeled as antisemitic. The Trump administration has also revoked federal funding for certain universities over their handling of such protests.
One day before Khalil’s arrest, the administration canceled $400 million in government contracts and grants awarded to Columbia University, citing alleged antisemitic harassment on campus. The university, which has faced intense scrutiny from lawmakers, has taken disciplinary action against student activists, including suspensions and police interventions.
Columbia’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, stated that the school remains committed to combating antisemitism while cooperating with the federal government to address concerns. However, Khalil and other student activists argue that the university has effectively silenced pro-Palestinian voices in an attempt to avoid further political pressure.
Legal and Civil Rights Concerns
The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) has condemned Khalil’s detention as unlawful, retaliatory, and an attack on free speech. Donna Lieberman, the organization’s executive director, described the arrest as a “frightening escalation” of Trump’s campaign against pro-Palestinian activism.
Maryam Alwan, a Palestinian-American student at Columbia, called Khalil’s detention a “dehumanizing” move against Palestinians in the U.S., warning that his arrest is only the beginning of broader government actions against activists.
Meanwhile, Columbia University has revised its protocol for handling federal immigration agents seeking access to campus, allowing them entry in “exigent circumstances”, though the specific conditions remain unclear.
Khalil, who grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, has previously worked for the British Embassy in Beirut, according to his online biography. As of Sunday, he was being held at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Elizabeth, New Jersey. His wife declined to comment through his colleagues.
The Trump administration’s latest actions signal a widening effort to suppress campus protests, placing universities at the center of a national political and legal battle over free speech, immigration, and Middle East policy.
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