Why Was Mahmoud Khalil Arrested? Columbia Activist’s Case Explained

Federal immigration authorities arrested Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student, in a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s vow to detain and deport student activists involved in last spring’s campus protests against Israel.

Mahmoud Khalil, who had been living in a university-owned apartment, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Saturday night. His attorney, Amy Greer, confirmed that Khalil was detained on orders from the State Department, which initially claimed to be revoking his student visa.

However, upon learning that Khalil was a lawful permanent resident, agents instead moved to revoke his green card, Greer told the Associated Press. The arrest marks the first publicly known deportation effort under the Trump administration’s crackdown on students who participated in nationwide protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

The administration has justified these deportations by asserting that some demonstrators expressed support for Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. Khalil was a well-known leader in the protests at Columbia, which called for the school to stop investing in companies with ties to Israel’s government and military. Because he was involved, the government went after him hard. ICE officials said his actions were “aligned with Hamas.”

The link hasn’t been proven yet, and Khalil’s defenders say that his arrest is an attack on free speech and student action for political reasons. Adding to the distress of the arrest, ICE agents allegedly threatened to detain Khalil’s wife, an American citizen who is eight months pregnant, according to Greer.

This intimidation has further fueled outrage among activists and civil rights organizations. Following his arrest, Khalil was initially reported to be held at an immigration detention center in Elizabeth, New Jersey. However, when his wife attempted to visit him on Sunday, she was informed he was not there.

As of Sunday night, Greer said Khalil’s whereabouts remained unknown. Mahmoud Khalil’s detention comes just a day after the Trump administration announced it was canceling $400 million in government contracts and grants awarded to Columbia University. The administration cited concerns over anti-Semitic harassment on and around campus, tying the financial penalties to the institution’s handling of student protests.

Columbia’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, responded by reiterating the university’s commitment to combating antisemitism and working with federal authorities to address concerns. However, some students and faculty see the administration’s actions as an attempt to suppress dissent on campus. In an interview with Reuters just hours before his arrest, Mahmoud Khalil criticized the government’s efforts to silence student activists.

“What more can Columbia do to appease Congress or the government now?” he asked. “They basically silenced anyone supporting Palestine on campus, and this was not enough.” Khalil’s case raises significant legal questions, particularly regarding the revocation of his green card. Immigration law experts suggest that permanent residents typically cannot be deported without due process, unless they have committed serious crimes or violated immigration laws.

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Khalil’s defenders say that his arrest sets a bad example for using immigration police to punish political opposition. Legal rights and human rights groups have spoken out against the arrest, saying it was an unfair use of power for political reasons. Some people say that the administration is using immigration rules to target pro-Palestinian groups and larger student organizations that are against U.S. foreign policy.

At the same time, protests are still going on at Columbia and other universities. Students are calling for clear information about Mahmoud Khalil’s situation and an end to government crackdowns on college activity. His allies say they will fight for his freedom, but the Trump government says it will keep going after student protesters in the coming months.