ICE Detain Columbia Activist in Trump Crackdown on Pro-Palestinian Protests (Update: White House Responds)
Federal immigration authorities have detained Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian activist, and recent Columbia University graduate, in what appears to be an escalation of the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism among visa and green card holders. Khalil, who played a central role in student protests demanding Columbia divest from Israel, was taken into custody over the weekend.
Mahmoud Khalil was at his university-owned apartment blocks from Columbia’s Manhattan campus when several Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered the building and took him into custody, his attorney, Amy Greer, told The Associated Press.
One of the agents told Greer by phone that they were executing a State Department order to revoke Khalil’s student visa. Informed by the attorney that Khalil, who graduated in December, was in the United States as a permanent resident with a green card, the agent said they were revoking that too, according to the lawyer.
Columbia University, already under scrutiny after the Trump administration pulled $400 million in grants for failing to protect Jewish students on campus, issued a carefully worded statement distancing itself from Khalil’s arrest.
“Consistent with our longstanding practice and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public university areas, including university buildings,” the statement read in part.“Columbia is committed to complying with all legal obligations and supporting our student body and campus community.”
Khalil was a lead negotiator in last year’s tent encampment protests, where students called for Columbia to sever ties with Israeli-linked companies. Even after graduating in December, he remained active in the movement, joining a sit-in at Barnard College’s Milstein Library to protest the expulsion of pro-Palestinian students.
“As long as Columbia continues to invest and to benefit from Israeli apartheid, the students will continue to resist,” Mahmoud Khalil said.“Not only protests and encampments, the limit is the sky.”
While free speech issues on college campuses are nothing new, this situation feels different. As a free speech absolutist, I have no issue with students voicing their opinions on major issues—in fact, I encourage it. I’ve been protested myself and have witnessed my fair share of walkouts at campus events.
But there are limits. Free speech does not include: taking over campus buildings; harassing Jewish students; or preventing Jewish students from attending class.
We may now be at the “found out” stage of Trump’s warnings about campus protests.
Update 3/10/25:
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