Federal immigration officials detained Mahmoud Khalil, a well-known pro-Palestinian advocate, on Saturday. Khalil, a constitutional US citizen, played a key role in next week’s student protests at Columbia University.
Khalil’s woman, who is eight months pregnant, was unable to find him at a New Jersey detention facility, raising fears about his whereabouts, reported media company Associated Press.
Officials claim Khalil’s green card is being revoked under Trump’s professional directions, though legal authorities say such activities are rare and generally require a legal faith, writes New York Times.
The arrest has sparked outrage from civil rights organizations, officials, and expat activists. His attorney, Amy Greer, called the arrest a politically motivated assault on free speech.
Department of Homeland Security director Tricia McLaughlin stated Sunday evening that Khalil was arrested “in compliance with President Trump’s professional requests aimed at combating antisemitism”.
On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on social app X, linking to a news article about Khalil’s imprisonment. He wrote,” We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported”.
Who is Mahmoud Khalil?
- Khalil is of Arab history and graduated in December from Columbia University’s School of International Affairs.
- He was a vital figure in Columbia’s pro-Palestinian activity, acting as a director and negotiator.
- Khalil has worked in politics, including a position at the British Embassy in Beirut.
- He is a US green cards owner, making his confinement and possible imprisonment very strange.
- In recent days, pro-Israel campaigners and lawmakers publicly called for his imprisonment, accusing him of relations to Hamas without providing information.
- Khalil had told Reuters before his imprisonment that he feared being targeted by Trump’s leadership. ” Obviously Trump is using the demonstrators as a victim for his wider plan fighting and attacking higher education and the Ivy League education system”, he had said.
