Protests in New York Against the Arrest of Palestinian Student Activist Mahmoud Khalil from Columbia University
Human rights organizations and academics have expressed deep concern about the arrest of Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil under the Trump administration, calling it a serious violation of free speech rights.
Nader Hashemi, a professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic politics at Georgetown University, told Al Jazeera, "Outwardly, the moral justification is to fight anti-Semitism, which is undoubtedly a noble goal, but it is being used as a smokescreen to suppress Palestinian viewpoints."
He further added, "Objectively, what is really happening is an effort to prevent all public expressions of support for Palestinian human rights, in order to placate right-wing supporters of Israel within the Republican Party."
On Saturday night, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Mahmoud Khalil at his university housing after he and his pregnant wife returned from an iftar dinner. Khalil’s lawyer, Amy Greer, stated that he is a lawful permanent resident (green card holder).
Khalil, a prominent leader in protests against Israel’s war in Gaza at Columbia University, has been targeted by Trump, who has repeatedly expressed a desire to expel such protesters from the country.
Trump posted on social media on Monday, accusing protesters of being "paid agitators." He further claimed that student protesters were participating in "pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity."
Trump also warned that Khalil's arrest could be "the first of many to come." He added, "We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again."
Free speech organizations have highlighted that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Khalil of "leading activities aligned with Hamas, a designated terrorist organization," but analysts argue that the allegation lacks substantial evidence.
U.S. law prohibits individuals from providing "material support" to terrorist organizations. However, experts argue that the justification for Khalil's arrest is too broad and could be used against anyone critical of Israel or U.S. foreign policy.
Greer informed ICE agents that Khalil was a permanent resident, but they claimed his green card would be revoked instead. Pro-Palestinian advocates believe this arrest is part of a larger trend. They argue that pro-Israel groups have long used allegations of anti-Semitism to suppress Palestinian political expression, attempting to link criticism of Israeli policies with terrorist support.
Following Khalil's arrest, the pro-Israel group Canary Mission named five "foreign nationals" linked to "campus extremism."
Palestinian rights advocates fear that the Trump administration will continue to take harsher steps to suppress such protests, signaling a broader effort to curtail the right to criticize the government for everyone.
