U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student and key organizer of pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University in New York City. Khalil, a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., was taken into custody on Saturday evening at his university-owned apartment, according to his attorney.
ICE officials have yet to provide a detailed explanation for the arrest, but sources within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claim Khalil’s visa and legal residency status were revoked due to alleged ties to groups "aligned with Hamas." However, no formal charges of material support for terrorism have been announced against him.
🚨 ICE arrests Mahmoud Khalil, leader of pro-Palestine protests at Columbia.
Student visa and green card revoked.
Concerns over free speech & fairness. 🇺🇸 Palestine solidarity! #freemahmoudkhalil pic.twitter.com/O0eIbzCUzi
Khalil played a prominent role in recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia, where he acted as a student negotiator during discussions with university administrators regarding a controversial protest encampment. His activism made him a visible figure in the campus movement calling for the university to divest from companies linked to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
According to his lawyer, Amy Greer, ICE agents entered Khalil’s apartment without presenting a judicial warrant, stating they were acting on orders from the State Department. Khalil’s family, including his pregnant wife, has been unable to determine his exact location, with reports suggesting he was initially taken to an ICE detention facility in New Jersey, before possibly being transferred to Louisiana for deportation processing.
Khalil’s arrest is part of a broader crackdown under President Donald Trump’s administration, which has vowed to deport foreign nationals involved in what it has described as “anti-Semitic and extremist demonstrations” on college campuses. In a social media statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “We will be revoking the visas and green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported https://t.co/oKba2Mmi3C
Columbia University, which has been under scrutiny for its handling of pro-Palestinian protests, issued a brief statement emphasizing its commitment to students’ legal rights while also reiterating its stance against anti-Semitic behavior on campus.
Civil rights groups have strongly condemned the arrest, arguing that Khalil is being targeted for his political activism. The New York Civil Liberties Union called the move "an unlawful, retaliatory action against free speech," warning that the use of immigration enforcement to suppress campus protests sets a dangerous precedent.
Khalil’s legal team is now preparing to challenge the revocation of his residency status, but experts warn that under the Trump administration’s executive orders, his chances of remaining in the U.S. may be slim.
With the 2025 presidential election cycle intensifying, the case has become a flashpoint in the national debate over free speech, immigration enforcement, and campus activism. As protests continue across American universities, it remains unclear how many more students may face similar legal action in the months ahead.