Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student, in New York on Saturday night. The arrest unfolded in front of his wife, who is eight months pregnant, as part of the Trump administration's efforts to revoke his green card and deport him. Khalil, an outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights, was the lead negotiator between protesters and Columbia University officials during the Gaza solidarity encampment last spring.
Khalil's arrest has drawn significant attention, particularly due to his involvement with a newly formed university committee investigating students critical of Israel. This committee emerged amid accusations of antisemitism on campus. Khalil's case has raised concerns about free speech, with organizations condemning the arrest as an extreme attack on his First Amendment rights.
In an emotional account, Khalil's wife described the harrowing experience. She revealed that the arrest occurred without a warrant being shown to her, and Ice officers disconnected their lawyer from the phone call.
“Within minutes, they had handcuffed Mahmoud, took him out into the street and forced him into an unmarked car,” – Khalil's wife
She also noted that the lead-up to the arrest was distressing, marked by threats against Mahmoud and an intense doxing campaign.
“Six days ago, an intense and targeted doxing campaign against Mahmoud began. Anti-Palestinian organizations were spreading false claims about my husband that were simply not based in reality,” – Khalil's wife
Despite reaching out to Columbia University on March 7 due to safety concerns, Khalil received no response.
“I urgently need legal support and I urge you to intervene,” – Khalil
The situation has left Khalil's wife feeling vulnerable and unsafe in a country she believed would offer security.
“I was born and raised in the midwest… But here I am, 40 years after my parents immigrated here, and just weeks before I’m due to give birth to our first child, and I feel more unsafe and unstable than I have in my entire life,” – Khalil's wife
She expressed her frustration at not being able to prepare for their first child's arrival due to her husband's detention.
“Instead of putting together our nursery and washing baby clothes in anticipation of our first child, I am left sitting in our apartment, wondering when Mahmoud will get a chance to call me from a detention center,” – Khalil's wife
Khalil's upcoming court hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in Manhattan. As his legal battle unfolds, his wife pleads with the public for support.
“I am pleading with the world to continue to speak up against his unjust and horrific detention by the Trump administration,” – Khalil's wife
The arrest has sparked widespread concern among free speech advocates who argue it reflects a worrying trend reminiscent of McCarthyism. They emphasize that targeting individuals based on their political speech undermines fundamental civil liberties.
Khalil himself has maintained that the allegations against him are baseless.
“I have around 13 allegations against me, most of them are social media posts that I had nothing to do with,” – Khalil
His wife continues to fight for his release, urging the U.S. government to reinstate his green card and allow him to return home.