Columbia University Student Arrested for Supporting Gaza

Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia University graduate, was participating in a 2024 protest in solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip. He was arrested at his university apartment building in New York City.

Federal law requires federal authorities to obtain a warrant before entering non-government campuses.

Khalil called his attorney, Amy Greer, after his arrest; Greer asked the two immigration officers why he was being held and whether they had a warrant, and also informed them that Khalil had a green card.

One of the officers, confused by the incident, called his superior and told him that he had a green card.

However, seconds later, the officer reported that the State Department had also revoked Khalil’s green card.

A State Department spokesman said they have broad authority to revoke visas under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the arrest of the Palestinian student on social media, saying: "We are revoking the visas and green cards of Hamas supporters in the US in order to deport them from the US."

Khalil, a Palestinian, was initially held at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in downtown New York City. However, Mahmoud Khalil’s lawyer said he was transferred to the Elizabeth Detention Center in New Jersey.

“We were unable to obtain further details about the reason for Khalil’s detention,” Greer told reporters.

Khalil was one of the most prominent pro-Palestinian activists at Columbia University during the 2024 protests. Since students set up tents on campus last spring, Khalil has been selected as their negotiator and has met with the university administration several times.