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Mahmoud Khalil Detained Amid Federal Crackdown
Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful permanent resident and recent Columbia graduate, was taken into custody by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Saturday, March 8, outside his university-owned apartment in New York City. ICE claims his student visa was revoked, but advocates say he holds a valid green card.
Khalil, a Palestinian activist, was a key negotiator in last spring’s Gaza solidarity encampment at Columbia and has been a vocal advocate for Palestinian human rights. His detention follows an escalation in government scrutiny of student protests.
Trump Cuts Columbia’s Federal Funding, Targets Protesters
On Monday, March 10, the Trump administration announced it had canceled $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University, accusing the institution of failing to protect Jewish students from anti-Semitism.
Additionally, the administration unveiled new visa restrictions targeting foreign officials who facilitate illegal immigration and international students linked to terrorist organizations, including Hamas.
According to a statement from the Trump administration, the State Department has revoked the visa of a foreign student linked to “Hamas-supporting disruptions.” While it is unclear if this refers to Khalil, his advocates argue he is being unjustly targeted.
Trump Calls Khalil a ‘Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student’
President Trump directly addressed Khalil’s detention, calling him a “radical foreign pro-Hamas student” and praising ICE for his arrest.
“We are deporting individuals who support terrorism and threaten our country,” Trump said in a statement. “People like Mahmoud Khalil, who align themselves with Hamas, have no place in the United States.”
His administration also reaffirmed its plans to deport international students who engage in anti-Israel protests, a move that has sparked backlash from civil rights groups.
CAIR Demands Khalil’s Release
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has launched a campaign demanding Khalil’s immediate release, calling his detention a “blatant attack on free speech and the humanity of Palestinians.”
“Mahmoud Khalil is a lawful permanent resident of our nation who has not been charged with or convicted of a single crime,” CAIR stated. “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.”
CAIR has urged the public to contact Congress and demand Khalil’s release, warning that the administration’s new policies are an attempt to silence critics of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.
SJP Launches Petition For Khalil’s Release, Accuses Columbia Of Complicity
National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) has also issued a statement condemning Khalil’s detention and launched a petition demanding his release.
Khalil’s arrest comes "on the heels of the Department of State’s announcement that it plans to deport students affiliated with pro-Palestine protests," the SJP wrote.
SJP further alleges that Columbia University has played a role in Khalil’s detention, citing a recently updated university protocol regarding cooperation with ICE.
“Columbia’s continued acquiescence to federal agencies and outside partisan institutions has made this situation possible,” the organization said in its statement.
SJP also claims that Khalil has been the target of “various Zionist harassment campaigns, fueled by doxxing websites like Canary Mission” and argues that such tactics are designed to instill fear among pro-Palestine activists.
Their petition calls on Columbia to reverse its protocol allowing ICE on campus without a warrant and to take a public stance against Khalil’s detention.
AI Monitoring Protesters’ Social Media
Khalil’s detention comes as the Trump administration expands efforts to monitor international students for “anti-Israel” speech online. Under the new “Catch and Revoke” visa program, the State Department, Department of Justice, and DHS will use artificial intelligence to scan social media posts for content deemed supportive of Hamas or critical of Israel.
CAIR and other civil rights groups warn the initiative “seeks to punish constitutionally protected speech and silence advocacy for Palestinian rights.”
Trump: ‘Agitators Will Be Imprisoned Or Deported’
On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated his administration’s stance against student protests, writing:
“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came.”
As of Wednesday, March 12, Khalil remains in ICE custody at the Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility in New Jersey. His attorney has not received further details regarding his detention.
Daily Voice reached out to ICE and DHS for additional comments but has not received a response at the time of publication.
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