An anti-Israel activist who students allege was a key figure in protests and encampments on the Columbia University campus in New York City has been apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, as per sources from Fox News.
On Saturday, Mahmoud Khalil was taken into custody at his university-owned apartment on the city’s Upper West Side.Â
ICE officials informed Khalil that they were following an order from the State Department to annul his green card and student visa. Khalil’s lawyer, Amy E. Greer from Dratel & Lewis, stated that ICE officers wrongly detained Khalil.
“ICE agents unjustly arrested Mahmoud Khalil last night, citing the cancellation of his student visa—despite Mahmoud being a legal permanent resident with a green card and not in the U.S. on a student visa,” Greer stated. “When presented with this information, the ICE agents still chose to apprehend him.”
“The Department of Homeland Security’s lawless decision to arrest him solely because of his peaceful anti-genocide activism represents a blatant attack on the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech, immigration laws, and the very humanity of Palestinians. We and other civil rights groups are in communication with Mahmoud’s legal counsel. This fight is just starting.”
The allegation against Khalil stemmed from his alleged involvement in the Columbia University Apartheid Divest group, claiming he had helped organize an “unauthorized marching event” that glorified Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and played a “substantial role” in the circulation of social media posts criticizing Zionism, the AP reported.Â
“I have around 13 allegations against me, most of them are social media posts that I had nothing to do with,” Khalil told the AP last week.
“They just want to show Congress and right-wing politicians that they’re doing something, regardless of the stakes for students,” he added. “It’s mainly an office to chill pro-Palestine speech.”
Palestinian flags are seen around the encampment on the campus of Columbia University in New York City on April 23, 2024. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
Khalil’s arrest comes just days after President Donald Trump threatened to deport foreign students who were involved in what he calls “illegal protests” on campus.Â
On Friday, the administration announced it would terminate $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia because the Ivy League school was failing to protect Jewish students on campus.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected]
