Many people know Mahmoud Khalil as a well-known Palestinian activist who just graduated from Columbia University. He was very important to the student-led protests in Gaza that called for an end to the fighting. Because he worked for social justice and was active on campus, he was well-known and got both praise and criticism.
Why did they arrest Mahmoud Khalil?
Khalil was taken by federal immigration officials on Saturday night. They said they did this because the U.S. State Department told them to take away his green card. This is part of the Trump administration’s plan to stop pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses.
The part that ICE played in arresting Mahmoud Khalil
The arrest was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and Homeland Security Investigations. However, different news stories make it unclear what his legal situation was and whether his green card had been legally taken away.
These are the events that led to his arrest
Khalil was caught by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents in plain clothes at his flat that was owned by the university. His eight-months-pregnant U.S. citizen wife tried to stop him by giving proof of his green card. The agents were shocked at first and told him that his legal standing had also been taken away.
A court case and a Habeas Corpus petition
Khalil’s lawyers have asked for his release from jail by filing a habeas corpus appeal. His lawyers say that the arrest is part of a larger effort to silence political speech and student activism, especially those who are against Israel’s military activities in Gaza.
What Columbia University Did
Reports that ICE were on campus were confirmed by Columbia University, which said that they were following the law. They did not say for sure, though, whether a legal warrant had been shown before Khalil was arrested.
The activist community responds to Khalil’s arrest.
Activists and student groups are very angry about Khalil’s arrest because they see it as an attack on free speech. Authorities went after him because he was active in the Gaza Solidarity Encampment and other groups.
How the Trump administration feels about student protests
The arrest is in line with President Trump’s recent orders to remove foreign students who are protesting against Israel. His government has promised to take away the visas and green cards of people who are called “agitators.”
What civil rights groups said in response
A lot of support groups, like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said the arrest was wrong and against the law. Legal experts say that taking away a green card needs due process, which Khalil doesn’t seem to have had.
In what place is Mahmoud Khalil now?
Right now, it’s still not clear where Khalil is. At first, his wife and lawyers were told that he had been moved to an ICE holding centre in New Jersey, but they later found out that he wasn’t there.
Effects on the Movement for Palestinian Rights
Khalil’s arrest has not silenced campaigners; instead, it has sparked student protests all over the country. People who fight for Palestinian rights and free speech on college campuses have come together since he was arrested.
