Mahmoud Khalil sat in his Manhattan apartment, cradling his 10-week-old son, reflecting on the night he anxiously paced a cold immigration jail in Louisiana, waiting for news of his child’s birth in New York. The Palestinian activist, usually outspoken, struggled to find words to describe the pain of that night.
After regaining his freedom, Khalil is now seeking restitution. His lawyers have filed a claim for $20 million in damages against the Trump administration, accusing him of being falsely imprisoned, maliciously prosecuted, and labeled as an antisemite due to his involvement in campus protests. The claim, a prelude to a lawsuit under the Federal Tort Claims Act, targets the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the State Department.
As Khalil’s deportation case continues, he aims to show that he will not be silenced or intimidated. He plans to share any settlement with others affected by the administration’s efforts to suppress pro-Palestinian speech. He is open to an official apology and changes to deportation policies as alternatives to a settlement.
The White House referred inquiries to the State Department, which defended its actions as lawful. The Department of Homeland Security dismissed Khalil’s claim as “absurd,” accusing him of engaging in “hateful behavior and rhetoric” that threatened Jewish students.
The filing alleges that President Trump and other officials conducted an illegal campaign to intimidate Khalil and his family. He was arrested without a warrant, taken to an undisclosed location in Louisiana, and subjected to harsh conditions in jail. Despite being vocal against antisemitism and unlinked to terror groups, Khalil was targeted for his protests against Israel, which the administration labeled as “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity.”
Throughout his incarceration, Khalil was deprived of proper medical care, adequate sleep, and nutritious food, leading to significant weight loss. Despite the administration’s efforts to deport him based on his beliefs, Khalil remains steadfast in seeking justice and accountability.
One morning, Khalil was awoken by a fellow detainee who was pointing excitedly to his face on a jailhouse TV screen. A new memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio had acknowledged that Khalil hadn’t broken any laws, but argued that he should be deported due to beliefs that could undermine U.S. foreign policy interests. Khalil explained his stance, stating, “My beliefs are simply against my tax money or tuition being used for investments in weapons manufacturers for genocide.”
Despite his situation, Khalil had become a sort of celebrity in the 1,200-person lock-up. In addition to handling his own case, he hosted “office hours” for fellow immigrant detainees, drawing on his experience working at a British embassy in Beirut to help others with paperwork and finding translators. “I’m pretty good at bureaucracy,” Khalil remarked.
During the evenings, they played Russian and Mexican card games while Khalil listened to the stories of others who were confused and concerned about their rights. Khalil described this as one of the most heartbreaking aspects of his time in detention.
After spending 104 days in custody, Khalil was ordered to be released by a federal judge who deemed the government’s attempts to remove him on foreign policy grounds as likely unconstitutional. However, he now faces new allegations regarding his green card application, which his attorneys argue are baseless and retaliatory.
Since his release, Khalil has experienced moments of joy as well as intense personal turmoil. He now navigates life cautiously, avoiding potential harassment or arrest by limiting his outings. Nonetheless, he finds solace in spending time with his son and wife, while also contemplating his future and adjusting to a new reality.
Khalil remains committed to advocating against Israel’s actions in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians, including many women and children, have lost their lives. He recently led a march through Manhattan in solidarity with Gaza, draped in a Palestinian flag and surrounded by security.
Reflecting on his activism, Khalil acknowledged that better communication and building bridges with others may have been beneficial. However, he firmly believes in the moral imperative of opposing genocide, stating, “This is your moral imperative when you’re watching your people be slaughtered by the minute.”
