Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student at Columbia University, has been arrested by U.S. immigration agents as part of President Donald Trump’s promised crackdown on anti-Israel activists.
The Student Workers of Columbia labour union confirmed that Khalil, a student at the School of International and Public Affairs, was detained by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents at his university residence on Saturday evening, Reuters reports.
Khalil, who holds a U.S. permanent residency green card, is married to a U.S. citizen who is eight months pregnant, according to reports.
His arrest has sparked condemnation from civil rights groups, who view it as an attack on protected political speech.
Hours before his arrest, Khalil had expressed concerns to Reuters that he was being targeted by the government for speaking to the media about Trump’s criticism of student protesters.
On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared news of Khalil’s arrest on social media, writing, “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
He did not elaborate, and his spokespeople did not respond to inquiries.
DHS, in a social media post, accused Khalil of leading “activities aligned to Hamas” but provided no further details.
Neither DHS nor other government departments have accused Khalil of providing material support to Hamas or committing any crime.
Trump, who returned to the White House in January, has vowed to deport some foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, which he has labelled antisemitic.
The protests escalated following the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023 and the subsequent U.S.-backed Israeli assault on Gaza.
Khalil, a key organiser of Columbia’s pro-Palestinian demonstrations, has insisted the movement is anti-war and includes Jewish students who reject allegations of antisemitism.
Columbia University’s campus has been a focal point for protests, with students setting up encampments and briefly occupying an academic building before police intervened.
Although Khalil did not participate in the occupation, he acted as a mediator between protesters and university administrators.
Some Israeli and Jewish students have described the protests as threatening and disruptive, leading to counter-demonstrations in support of Israel.
The New York Civil Liberties Union has denounced Khalil’s arrest as unlawful and an attack on free speech.
Donna Lieberman, the group’s executive director, stated, “This is a frightening escalation of Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestine speech, and an aggressive abuse of immigration law.”
Khalil, originally from a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, previously worked for the British embassy in Beirut. He is currently being held at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centre in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Columbia University declined to comment on Khalil’s case, citing legal restrictions, but stated it remains committed to upholding students’ legal rights.
The Trump administration has also increased pressure on Columbia, announcing the cancellation of $400 million in government contracts and grants, citing antisemitic harassment “on and near” campus.
Speaking to Reuters before his arrest, Khalil criticised Columbia’s actions, stating, “They basically silenced anyone supporting Palestine on campus and this was not enough.
“Clearly, Trump is using the protesters as a scapegoat for his wider agenda fighting and attacking higher education and the Ivy League education system.”
Columbia’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, has pledged to address federal concerns regarding antisemitism and other forms of discrimination.
Khalil and fellow protesters have long demanded Columbia divest its $14.8 billion endowment from companies linked to Israel’s military.
The university has agreed to expedite discussions on these demands through its advisory committee on socially responsible investing.
Meanwhile, Columbia has introduced new protocols regarding federal immigration agents on campus, stating they may enter without a judicial warrant in “exigent circumstances,” though it did not specify what those might be
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