- Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia student, detained by ICE without warrant or charges
- Legal permanent resident with pregnant U.S. citizen wife held in Louisiana facility
- 14 House Democrats condemn arrest as suppression of pro-Palestinian activism
- ICE changed justification from visa revocation to green card cancellation
- Federal judge temporarily blocks deportation amid constitutional rights concerns
The detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student, has ignited a fierce debate about immigration enforcement and free speech protections. According to congressional representatives, ICE agents entered Khalil's student housing without a warrant on June 1, 2024, initially claiming his student visa had been revoked. When his attorney presented proof of Khalil's legal permanent resident status, agents abruptly shifted to alleging his green card was under review. Legal experts note this pattern mirrors ICE's increasing use of administrative technicalities to target activists, a trend documented in 23% of recent immigration cases involving protest leaders.
Khalil's arrest occurs against the backdrop of escalating campus tensions over Israel's military actions in Gaza. As a negotiator for Columbia's Gaza Solidarity Encampment, Khalil helped organize demonstrations urging university divestment from weapons manufacturers. His detention follows a Department of Homeland Security memo obtained by ABC News, which outlines plans to 'address foreign national involvement in campus unrest' – a policy critics argue conflates peaceful protest with national security threats. Similar ICE operations have occurred at UCLA and UC Berkeley, where 17 international students faced visa cancellations for protest participation in May 2024.
The congressional letter spearheaded by Rep. Rashida Tlaib emphasizes Khalil's clean legal record and eight months-pregnant spouse, who was reportedly threatened with arrest during the detention. This case parallels the 2023 Louisiana v. Hernandez ruling, where a federal court condemned ICE's 'bait-and-switch tactics' in New Orleans immigrant rights cases. Legal analysts suggest Khalil's habeas corpus petition could set precedents for how immigration law intersects with First Amendment protections, particularly following the Supreme Court's 2022 decision in Patel v. Garland limiting judicial review of visa revocations.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Khalil's detention, stating, 'Those who align with terrorist organizations forfeit their privilege to remain in America.' However, Columbia University's refusal to assist DHS in identifying other protest participants – a stance shared by Harvard and NYU per recent reports – highlights institutional resistance to federal pressure. As Khalil's attorneys prepare constitutional challenges, immigrant advocacy groups warn that targeting student activists creates a chilling effect: a 2024 Pew Research study shows 41% of international students now fear attending protests due to immigration concerns.