A Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil, was unexpectedly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Columbia University last weekend, despite holding a valid green card. His attorney, Amy Greer, informed ABC News that this action has sparked outrage among civil rights groups. ICE agents arrested Khalil, a prominent figure in the university’s encampment movement, on Saturday night, alleging that his student visa had been revoked. However, Greer clarified on Sunday that Khalil is in the United States on a green card and not a student visa, and despite providing this information to the agents, ICE still detained him. President Donald Trump characterized Khalil as a “Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student” and suggested that this arrest is just the beginning of more to come, as reported on his Truth Social platform on Monday. The Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, stated that Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student, was arrested in line with President Trump’s executive orders against anti-Semitism, alleging that Khalil was involved in activities associated with Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also indicated intentions to revoke visas and green cards of Hamas supporters in the U.S. for deportation. Baher Azmy, one of Khalil’s legal representatives, refuted the allegations of Khalil’s alignment with Hamas as unfounded and emphasized the protection of his client’s constitutional right to free speech. Greer announced that she is challenging Khalil’s arrest through a habeas corpus petition filed on his behalf, following his detention at his university residence. Khalil’s whereabouts were initially unknown to his legal team and family, but it has been confirmed that he is currently being held at a detention facility in Jena, Louisiana. This incident has drawn attention to the U.S. government’s approach towards student activism and political expression.
“The attorney mentioned that a lawyer is speaking critically of Israel’s attack on Gaza, specifically targeting students at Columbia University. The U.S. government has indicated that they will use immigration enforcement to suppress such speech,” said the lawyer.
The arrest took place shortly after Trump threatened on social media to withhold funding from universities permitting “illegal protests” and warned that individuals causing disruptions would be sent back to their home countries. His post on Truth Social on March 4 stated, “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. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Following reports of ICE presence around campus, Columbia University issued a statement affirming their commitment to following the law. They stated that law enforcement must possess a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including University buildings, in accordance with their established practices and those of other cities and institutions across the nation.
Columbia emphasized their dedication to fulfilling legal obligations and supporting their student body and campus community. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the country, called for the release of Khalil, denouncing his arrest as an unjust violation of free speech rights, immigration laws, and the dignity of Palestinians.
Trump referred to the detention of the Palestinian activist with a green card at Columbia as the ‘first arrest of many’, as reported on abcnews.go.com.
