Outrage as Columbia University Graduate Faces Deportation for Pro-Palestine Activism

Widespread outrage has erupted among academics and human rights defenders in the United States following the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure in anti-Zionist and pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University. His detention marks what former U.S. President Donald Trump has called “the first of many” such arrests.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Khalil over the weekend. The young activist, a recent graduate of Columbia University, had served as a spokesperson for the student-led movement protesting against Zionist aggression in Gaza. Columbia has become a key center for pro-Palestinian student activism in the U.S. over the past year.

According to Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, Khalil is now at risk of deportation, though she provided no further details.

In a statement on Truth Social, Donald Trump warned:
“This is just the first arrest—many more will follow.”

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) strongly condemned the arrest, calling it “unprecedented, illegal, and anti-American.” The organization, along with Khalil’s attorney, insists that he is a legal permanent resident with a valid Green Card.

According to Khalil’s supporters, he was detained late Saturday night while returning home with his pregnant wife at a Columbia student residence.

Ben Wizner, a senior ACLU official, denounced the action, stating:
“The federal government is asserting the power to deport individuals with strong ties to the United States and revoke their Green Cards—solely to intimidate and silence those who dissent from the Trump administration’s views.”

Khalil’s arrest has raised serious concerns about political repression, free speech, and the criminalization of pro-Palestinian activism in the United States.