New York, MINA – A federal court in Manhattan has blocked the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian student activist, from the United States, Palestine Chronicle reported.
US District Judge Jesse M. Furman ruled on Monday that Khalil must not be removed from the country until the court issues a final decision. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at a federal court in New York.
Khalil, a green card holder and recent Columbia University graduate, was arrested by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at his university residence in New York on Saturday night.
He played a key role as a lead negotiator during last April’s Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia.
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DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that Khalil was arrested in coordination with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of State, citing President Donald Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism. The statement also accused Khalil of leading activities aligned with Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.
President Trump defended the arrest, calling Khalil a “Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student” and warning that more arrests of students involved in pro-Palestinian activism were imminent. He claimed that some activists were not students but “paid agitators” and vowed to find and deport them.
Khalil’s lawyer, Amy Greer, denounced the arrest as unlawful, arguing that ICE agents falsely claimed his student visa had been revoked, despite Khalil being a legal permanent resident. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) condemned the arrest, warning that it set a dangerous precedent against free speech and political activism. CAIR-NY’s Executive Director, Afaf Nasher, described it as an attack on civil liberties and demanded Khalil’s immediate release.
Columbia University has faced criticism for its silence on Khalil’s detention. The Columbia Palestine Solidarity Coalition (CPSC) called it a “deeply troubling moment” for student rights and the Palestinian liberation movement. The group accused the university of enabling politically motivated repression by failing to defend Khalil.
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On Sunday, Columbia University acknowledged ICE activity on campus, stating that law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public university spaces. Interim President Katrina Armstrong later released a statement affirming the university’s commitment to freedom of speech and legal obligations but did not directly address Khalil’s case.
Protests erupted in New York City on Monday, with demonstrators demanding Khalil’s release. An online petition has also been launched, accusing Columbia of cooperating with federal agencies to suppress pro-Palestinian activism. The petition claims Khalil and other Arab and Muslim students have been targeted by Zionist harassment campaigns, including doxxing websites like Canary Mission.
Khalil remains in ICE custody as legal proceedings continue. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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