Federal immigration agents detained Mahmoud Khalil, a well-known pro-Palestinian activist, on Saturday. Khalil, a legal US resident, played a major role in last year’s student protests at Columbia University.
Khalil’s wife, who is eight months pregnant, was unable to locate him at a New Jersey detention center, raising concerns about his whereabouts, reported news agency Associated Press.
Authorities claim Khalil’s green card is being revoked under Trump’s executive orders, though legal experts say such actions are rare and usually require a criminal conviction, writes New York Times.
The arrest has sparked outrage from civil rights groups, politicians, and immigrant advocates. His lawyer, Amy Greer, called the arrest a politically motivated attack on free speech.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated Sunday night that Khalil was arrested “in accordance with President Trump’s executive orders aimed at combating antisemitism.”
On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on social platform X, linking to a news article about Khalil’s arrest. He wrote, “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
Who is Mahmoud Khalil?
- Khalil is of Palestinian heritage and graduated in December from Columbia University’s School of International Affairs.
- He was a key figure in Columbia’s pro-Palestinian movement, acting as a spokesperson and negotiator.
- Khalil has worked in diplomacy, including a role at the British Embassy in Beirut.
- He is a US green card holder, making his detention and potential deportation highly unusual.
- In recent days, pro-Israel activists and politicians publicly called for his deportation, accusing him of ties to Hamas without providing evidence.
- Khalil had told Reuters before his arrest that he feared being targeted by Trump’s administration. “Clearly Trump is using the protesters as a scapegoat for his wider agenda fighting and attacking higher education and the Ivy League education system,” he had said.