By Kanishka SinghWASHINGTON (Reuters) – Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student at Columbia University who is facing potential deportation by the Trump administration for his involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, described himself as a political detainee on Tuesday, marking his first direct statement since being detained.Khalil, a U.S. permanent resident, has come under fire from various human rights organizations who view his detention as an infringement on freedom of speech and fair legal procedures. More than 100 Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives have raised concerns about the legality of his detention in a letter to President Donald Trump’s administration.Department of Justice attorneys argue that Khalil, 30, is subject to deportation because Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes his presence in the U.S. could have negative implications on foreign policy.Khalil’s situation may challenge the boundaries between protected speech for citizens and non-citizens under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and the executive branch’s stance that certain protests can undermine foreign policy.”I am Mahmoud Khalil, and I consider myself a political detainee,” Khalil stated in a letter made public on Tuesday.”I was arrested solely for exercising my right to free speech while advocating for a liberated Palestine and an end to the atrocities in Gaza, which intensified with the latest Israeli attacks on Monday night,” Khalil added in the letter, mentioning that the strikes resulted in the deaths of over 400 Palestinians.Khalil’s legal representatives are calling for his immediate release. He obtained U.S. permanent residency last year and his wife is currently eight months pregnant.His arrest on March 8 sparked demonstrations in various cities across the U.S., including a gathering in New York City’s Times Square on Tuesday where hundreds demanded his freedom.President Trump has pledged to expel pro-Palestinian activists who participated in protests on American college campuses following a Hamas attack in October 2023. Trump has accused these protesters of being anti-Semitic and supporting Hamas fighters.Pro-Palestinian advocates, including some Jewish groups, argue that their criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza is unfairly equated with anti-Semitism, and their support for Palestinian rights is wrongly associated with backing Hamas. Khalil stated in his letter that his arrest reflects anti-Palestinian bias.The government has not specified how Khalil could jeopardize U.S. foreign policy. Trump has accused him of backing Hamas without evidence. Khalil’s legal team insists he has no ties to the organization.(Reporting by Kanishka Singh; editing by Lincoln Feast.)
