Trump targets Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil in campus protest crackdown |
US President Donald Trump declared that the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate, was “the first arrest of many to come” as part of a crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism in US universities. Khalil, a permanent US resident with a green card, was detained over the weekend by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents acting on a State Department order to revoke his green card.
Trump’s comments, posted on Truth Social, warned of more arrests targeting activists at universities across the country. He claimed that many of these activists were “paid agitators” and vowed to “find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers” for their support of Palestinians. Trump added, without providing evidence, that such activists engaged in “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity” and should not be welcome in the US He ended his post with a Hebrew word for goodbye, “Shalom,” aimed at Khalil.
Khalil, who grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, was a lead negotiator for Columbia’s Gaza solidarity encampment last year, where he mediated between protesters and university administrators. His activism, particularly his advocacy for Palestinian human rights, has made him a target of both pro-Israel groups and US authorities. The arrest, which occurred on Saturday night at Khalil’s university-owned apartment just blocks from the Columbia campus, has drawn widespread condemnation from civil rights groups and free speech advocates.
Khalil’s attorney revealed that the activist had been subjected to an online “doxxing campaign” in the days leading up to his arrest, with threats from Columbia affiliates. Khalil had urgently reached out to Columbia’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, seeking protection from ICE and expressing fear that he might be detained or harmed. In his email, Khalil wrote, “I haven’t been able to sleep, fearing that ICE or a dangerous individual might come to my home.”
Columbia University, in a letter issued, denied that any member of the administration had requested ICE’s presence on or near campus, calling rumors to the contrary false. Initially, it was reported that Khalil was being held at an immigration detention facility in New Jersey, but his wife, who is eight months pregnant, could not locate him there. As of Monday, it was confirmed that Khalil is being held at the La Salle Detention Center in Louisiana.
The arrest has sparked outrage from free speech organizations, civil rights groups, and local New York City leaders. Critics have called the detention “an egregious violation of the First Amendment” and accused the Trump administration of weaponizing immigration laws to suppress political dissent. The arrest has also raised concerns about the broader implications for activists speaking out on Palestinian rights and other politically sensitive issues in the US
“By arresting Mahmoud, Trump thinks he can strip us of our rights and strip us of our commitment to our people,” said Ibtihal Malley, a student from New York University, during a protest in Manhattan on Monday. Several hundred people gathered at an ICE field office, voicing their condemnation of the administration’s actions.
Khalil’s case is the first known arrest under the Trump administration targeting activists based on their political beliefs. His legal team has filed a petition challenging the legality of his detention, and a federal judge in New York City has set a hearing for Wednesday to consider his case.
Khalil’s supporters argue that his detention is part of a broader pattern of repression against Palestinian solidarity movements in the US , aimed at stifling free speech and silencing those who speak out against Israeli policies. The arrest has galvanized pro-Palestinian groups, with rallies planned nationwide to demand his release and defend the right to protest and advocate for Palestinian rights.
“We will not let this stand,” said Maryam Alwan, a Columbia student and activist. “We stand with Mahmoud, and we stand for justice. This is just the beginning of our fight.”
