In a controversial move, Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian and legal permanent resident of the United States, was arrested last Saturday in New York. Khalil, who has not been accused of breaking any laws, is being held under a rarely invoked immigration law provision that allows the Secretary of State to detain individuals deemed a threat to U.S. foreign policy. Khalil is currently detained in Louisiana without charge. The arrest has sparked significant outrage, with many viewing it as a troubling precedent for free speech.
Khalil, married to Noor Abdalla, an American citizen who is eight months pregnant, has been a prominent figure in organizing protests at Columbia University. The protests were focused on Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, which began following an attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Khalil's lawyer, Baher Azmy, the director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, described the arrest as "absolutely unprecedented" and characterized it as "essentially a form of retaliation and punishment for the exercise of free speech."
The Trump administration has defended the decision, stating that Khalil's arrest is "the first of many to come," and emphasizing that students deemed guilty of "pro-terrorist, antisemitic, anti-American activity" will face deportation. Former President Donald Trump has promised to take action against students involved in such activities.
Noor Abdalla, Khalil's wife, expressed her anguish over the arrest.
“My husband was kidnapped from our home, and it is shameful that the US government continues to hold him because he stood for the rights and lives of his people. I demand his immediate release and return to our family,” she said.
Abdalla further highlighted the support Khalil has received from those who know him.
“So many who know and love Mahmoud have come together, refusing to stay silent. Their support is a testament to his character and to the deep injustice of what is being done to him.”
Protests have erupted in response to Khalil's detention. A group of nearly 100 people were arrested during a demonstration at Trump Tower in New York. Demonstrators rallied in support of Khalil, with some emphasizing historical parallels and the dangers of eroding civil liberties.
Sonya E Meyerson-Knox, one of the protesters, drew on personal history to underscore the gravity of the situation.
“My grandmother lost her cousins in the Holocaust. I grew up on these stories. We know what happens when authoritarian regimes begin targeting people, begin abducting them at night, separating their families and scapegoating. And we know that it’s one step from here to losing all right to protest and then further horrors happening, as we have seen too well in our history.”
Meyerson-Knox also called for collective action and vigilance.
“We’re calling on everyone to speak up today because otherwise we won’t be able to tomorrow.”
Amidst rising tensions, the legal ramifications and political implications of Khalil's arrest continue to be hotly debated. Critics argue that his detention sets a dangerous precedent for the treatment of activists exercising their right to free speech. Supporters of Khalil maintain that his activism is a vital component of democratic expression and should be protected rather than punished.