US immigration agents have arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student and prominent figure in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on certain anti-Israel activists.
Khalil, a student at the university’s School of International and Public Affairs, was detained by US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents at his campus residence on Saturday evening, according to the Student Workers of Columbia labour union.
His wife, a US citizen, is eight months pregnant, and he holds a US permanent residency green card, the union stated. Civil rights groups have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on protected political speech.
In an interview with reporters m, just hours before his arrest, Khalil expressed concerns that he was being targeted by the government for speaking to the media about Trump’s criticism of student protesters.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared news of Khalil’s arrest on social media, stating, “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.” He did not provide further details, and his office did not respond to requests for comment.
DHS later stated on social media that Khalil was arrested because he had “led activities aligned to Hamas” but did not elaborate on the accusation. DHS spokespeople also did not respond to Reuters’ inquiries.
US law prohibits providing “material support or resources” to groups designated as terrorist organisations, including Hamas, which governs Gaza and controls its militant wing. However, the law does not define or criminalise “activities aligned to” these groups. DHS has not accused Khalil of providing material support to Hamas or of committing any other crime.
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