NEW YORK: The arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a recent graduate of Columbia University and pro-Palestine activist, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has sparked nationwide protests and mounting concerns over freedom of speech under the Trump administration.
Khalil, a legal U.S. permanent resident, was detained on Saturday in New York by ICE agents, reportedly without a warrant or clear explanation.
Khalil, who led several high-profile campus protests against Israel’s military operations in Gaza, was seized outside his university-owned apartment. His eight-months-pregnant wife was with him at the time. Initially, ICE agents claimed his student visa had been revoked; when Khalil explained he held a green card, agents told him that his permanent residency had also been stripped, citing unspecified “security concerns.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later alleged Khalil had “led activities aligned to Hamas,” a designation that has been widely criticized as unsubstantiated and politically motivated. DHS claimed its actions were coordinated with the Department of State and justified under President Trump’s executive orders targeting alleged anti-American activities.
Khalil, an Algerian citizen of Palestinian descent, has long been an outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights. He helped lead a pro-Palestinian encampment protest at Columbia University last month, which inspired similar demonstrations on college campuses across the country. Supporters describe his protests as peaceful and constitutionally protected, condemning the government’s characterization of them as extremist.
On Monday, Judge Jesse Furman of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued an emergency order halting Khalil’s deportation “unless and until the Court orders otherwise.” The judge scheduled a preliminary hearing for Wednesday to review the legality of Khalil’s detention and deportation proceedings.
Khalil’s legal team argues that his constitutional rights have been flagrantly violated. His lawyers accused the government of deliberately transferring him to a detention facility in Louisiana to hinder his access to legal representation.
“The government is trampling on due process, attempting to silence dissent by criminalizing constitutionally protected speech,” said lead attorney Nora Ben-Ami.
Civil liberties organizations and elected officials have condemned the arrest as a grave overstep of government authority. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called the detention “unprecedented, illegal, and un-American.”
“The government’s actions are clearly designed to chill free speech and punish political dissent,” said Ben Wizner, Director of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), herself of Palestinian descent, described Khalil’s arrest as “straight out of the fascist playbook.”
“Protesting genocide is not a crime. Revoking someone’s green card for expressing their political opinion is illegal,” Tlaib wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) called Khalil’s arrest “outrageous and unconstitutional,” urging his immediate release. “This is a dangerous attack on First Amendment rights,” she said.
Public demonstrations erupted in New York City Monday afternoon, where over 1,000 protesters rallied to demand Khalil’s release. “This was essentially a kidnapping,” said Tobi, 42, a protester who declined to give her last name.
President Donald Trump, freshly inaugurated and emboldened by his second-term agenda, defended Khalil’s arrest in a statement on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“This is the first arrest of many to come,” Trump wrote. “We will not tolerate pro-terrorist, anti-American activity at our universities.”
Critics view the arrest as the beginning of a broader crackdown on campus activism and political dissent. Trump’s public statements have amplified concerns that his administration is using executive power to criminalize opposition voices.
“This administration is laying the groundwork for an authoritarian crackdown,” said Joshua Reed Eakle, president of Project Liberal, a free speech advocacy group. “If they can disappear Khalil, they can do it to anyone.”
The United Nations joined the chorus of concern. A spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized “the importance of respecting freedom of expression and peaceful assembly everywhere.”
Jamie Beran, CEO of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, denounced the government’s justification for Khalil’s detention as dangerous and disingenuous.
“Abducting Mahmoud Khalil and tearing him from his family in the name of Jewish safety is deeply offensive and makes no one safer,” Beran said at a press conference outside Columbia University.
Alana Hadid, Palestinian-American activist and sister of supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid, shared an emotional video on Instagram warning that Khalil’s arrest represents a larger threat to civil liberties in the U.S.
“They can take you right now — no charges, no trial, no explanation — and just disappear you,” Hadid said. “This is how it starts.”
The White House’s official X account further inflamed tensions by posting “Shalom, Mahmoud” alongside an announcement of Khalil’s arrest. Many criticized the post as provocative and inappropriate, given the circumstances.
“This is state propaganda in real time,” Hadid commented. “They are white-washing oppression and turning a peaceful activist into a scapegoat.”
Several social media users noted the rare use of Hebrew by the White House, arguing it signaled an unequivocal bias toward Israel in the ongoing conflict.
“The Trump administration makes it clear whose side they’re on,” one commenter wrote. “And it’s not the side of democracy.”
Under current immigration law, green card holders can only be deported for serious criminal offenses or national security threats. Khalil has not been formally charged with any crime. Legal experts argue the case sets a dangerous precedent, undermining constitutional protections for lawful residents.
CIVICUS, an international civil society alliance, recently added the United States to its Watchlist of countries experiencing threats to civic freedoms. In a statement, CIVICUS warned that Trump’s executive actions “undermine democratic institutions, rule of law, and global cooperation.”
For many, Khalil’s detention signals a turning point. “This is a test case for how far they can push the erosion of rights,” Eakle warned. “If we stay silent now, no one is safe.”
As Khalil awaits his court hearing, activists vow to keep up the pressure. “We won’t stop demanding his freedom,” said protester Michael Thaddeu, a Columbia professor. “Because if they come for him today, they’ll come for us all tomorrow.”
