Palestine Legal Condemns Unlawful DHS Detention of Columbia Palestinian Activist Mahmoud Khalil, Demands Schools Refuse to Collaborate with ICE

CONTACT: Palestine Legal Media | media@palestinelegal.org 

March 10th, 2025 — On Saturday, March 8, 2025, Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who were carrying out Trump administration orders to punish non-citizens who have been vocal in the movement for Palestine. ICE agents reportedly forced their way into Mahmoud's university housing at Columbia University while he was entering with his wife, who is 8-months pregnant. Mahmoud was told that his student visa was revoked. Though ICE agents were corrected that Mahmoud has a green card (lawful permanent residency), Mahmoud was informed that his green card was revoked as well. ICE agents also threatened to arrest his wife, who is a U.S. citizen. Mahmoud was later forcibly transferred to a detention center in Louisiana, where he is currently.

In response, Palestine Legal staff attorney, Sabiya Ahamed, said:

"Abducting and detaining students over their political ideology represents a significant escalation in the McCarthyite attacks on the student movement for Palestinian liberation.

Columbia University — along with many universities across the country — has spent the last year and a half censoring, suppressing and calling the police on their own students, which has enabled the repression we now see from the Trump administration. Universities must take a stand and protect their students from these authoritarian, unlawful attempts to stop criticism of Israel's genocide.

Instead of protecting students from racist, anti-Palestinian attempts by the federal government to suppress speech supporting Palestinian rights, Columbia University is attempting to appease the Trump administration by cracking down on all criticism of Israel — having its own students arrested, engaging in kangaroo court-type investigatory proceedings, censoring its students, and turning over confidential student records to Congress."

Universities must take steps to ensure that all students, regardless of their immigration status, are safe from political persecution. These 'sanctuary schools' should issue robust policies instructing faculty, staff and security to refuse entry to or cooperation with ICE agents and to always ask to see a judicial warrant. They should prohibit the use of university resources for civil immigration enforcement purposes. School administrators should also refuse to cooperate with congressional investigations and erase all disciplinary records related to protests and political activism for Palestine. Universities must make every effort to end their own persecution of their Palestinian and allied students, by ceasing all expulsions, suspensions and disciplinary proceedings over speech activity critical of Israel or supporting Palestinian rights.

Palestine Legal has been documenting the surge in anti-Palestinian repression across colleges and universities since October 2023. We are now seeing the Trump administration pursue even more draconian measures to target and deport non-citizens, including green card holders. Although it is unclear at this time how the Trump administration may continue to wield immigration and law enforcement against non-citizens, it is becoming increasingly clear that the administration is committed to using extreme and unlawful measures to achieve its authoritarian aims.

Non-citizen students, faculty and staff, who have been vocal in the movement for Palestinian liberation should consult an immigration attorney with their specific questions or concerns, especially if they plan to travel abroad. The Trump administration is attempting to use its mass deportation machine to spread fear and chill any activism critical of Israel. It is important to also be aware of your rights as the struggle for Palestinian freedom continues and as the administration continues to respond in any way possible to isolate, purge, and punish those who dare to speak up against Israel's genocide and war crimes, enabled by the United States.

Students are demanding that Columbia condemn Mahmoud's arbitrary detention and call immediately for his release. A group of attorneys is working to support Mahmoud throughout this ordeal. A petition calling for Mahmoud's release has garnered over 1 million signatures.