The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed late on Sunday that Mahmoud Khalil, who was a student-activist who helped lead anti-Israel protests at Columbia University last spring, was detained in New York City over the weekend.
“On March 9, 2025, in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student. Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin announced in a statement given to The Daily Wire.
McLaughlin added that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is part of DHS, and the State Department “are committed to enforcing President Trump’s executive orders and to protecting U.S. national security.”
Sources said Khalil, identified in the press as a lead negotiator for the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment,” graduated in December. He was taken into custody overnight by ICE at his university-owned apartment in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Fox News’ Alexis McAdams reported in a post on X.
A prominent Palestinian activist – who students say was a leader of protests and encampments on the Columbia University campus for months – has been arrested by ICE, according to sources.
I’m told Mahmoud Khalil was taken into custody last night at his university-owned apartment… pic.twitter.com/CsFU3wfmnX
— Alexis McAdams (@AlexisMcAdamsTV) March 9, 2025
Khalil’s attorney, Amy Greer, told the Associated Press that she was informed that the immigration authorities acted under State Department orders to revoke her client’s student visa and green card. Greer also said authorities declined to tell Khalil’s wife, who is eight months pregnant, the reason for the arrest.
“We have not been able to get any more details about why he is being detained,” the attorney told the news outlet, adding, “This is a clear escalation. The administration is following through on its threats.”
A habeas corpus petition on Mahmoud’s behalf “challenging the validity of his arrest and detention” was filed overnight, Greer said, per ABC News. Greer added, “Currently we do not know Mahmoud’s precise whereabouts.”
Under a new State Department “Catch and Revoke” effort first reported by Axios, visas of foreign nationals who appear to be “pro-Hamas” are canceled.
A State Department spokesperson told The Daily Wire that visa records are confidential under U.S. law and they “cannot comment on individual visa cases,” but Secretary of State Marco Rubio replied on X to the Associated Press report on Khalil’s arrest, saying, “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK) said in a post to X: “A green card or student visa does not give individuals the right to break our laws, harass our students, and openly sympathize with terrorists. I commend Secretary Rubio for taking swift action and revoking the visas of those involved in criminal activity.”
Protests erupted at Columbia University and other institutions after Israel went to war against Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 terrorist attacks in 2023, leading to reports of harassment and acts of anti-Semitism on campuses. The Associated Press noted that when classes resumed in September, Khalil told the outlet, “As long as Columbia continues to invest and to benefit from Israeli apartheid, the students will continue to resist.”
Also on Sunday, Columbia University released a statement that announced: “There have been reports of ICE around campus. Columbia has and will continue to follow the law. Consistent with our longstanding practice and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including University buildings. Columbia is committed to complying with all legal obligations and supporting our student body and campus community.”
