Columbia Student's Arrest Signals Trump Administration's Crackdown on Pro-Palestinian Activism
The detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent U.S. resident, raises fears of broader targeting of student activists and federal funding cuts for universities.
- Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia University graduate and prominent pro-Palestinian activist, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 8, 2025, and is being held in Louisiana pending a court hearing.
- The Trump administration accuses Khalil of alleged ties to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, though his supporters and legal team deny these claims and emphasize his status as a permanent U.S. resident with a green card.
- President Donald Trump has described Khalil's arrest as the first in a broader effort to expel foreign students allegedly involved in activities deemed anti-American or anti-Semitic, heightening concerns of political repression on college campuses.
- Columbia University has faced federal scrutiny, including the abrupt withdrawal of $400 million in federal funding, for what the administration claims is a failure to address anti-Semitism during pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
- The arrest has sparked widespread protests, with over a thousand demonstrators rallying in New York City, and human rights groups warning that the case sets a dangerous precedent for immigrant and student rights in the United States.
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