Overview

• Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and green card holder, was detained by ICE, with his legal team alleging retaliation for his pro-Palestinian advocacy.
• The Trump administration has revoked visas and green cards of other international students linked to Columbia protests, citing alleged ties to terrorism without providing substantial evidence.
• Columbia University faces federal scrutiny, including DHS raids and threats of funding cuts, for its handling of last year's pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus.
• Khalil's attorneys argue his detention violates First Amendment protections and claim his transfer to a remote Louisiana facility was intended to hinder his legal defense.
• The administration's actions, including the use of a rarely invoked McCarthy-era statute, have sparked fears of broader repression of student activism and academic freedom.