On March 10, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman issued an order halting the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student at Columbia University, pending a hearing scheduled for March 12.
Khalil, a legal permanent resident married to a U.S. citizen, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on March 8 outside his New York apartment. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleges that Khalil’s activities align with Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.
President Donald Trump praised Khalil’s arrest, stating it was the first of many targeting individuals involved in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activities.
Trump shared on Truth Social:
“Following my previously signed Executive Orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University. This is the first arrest of many to come. We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again. If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here. We expect every one of America’s Colleges and Universities to comply. Thank you!”
Khalil’s detention has sparked criticism from various quarters. New York Attorney General Letitia James expressed concern over potential violations of Khalil’s First Amendment rights, emphasizing the importance of protecting free speech.
The upcoming hearing will address the legality of Khalil’s detention and the government’s allegations, setting the stage for a significant legal battle over free speech and national security.
