US authorities arrest Palestinian protest leader in raid on student housing

Agents of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a recent graduate of Columbia University who helped lead a pro-Palestinian encampment last April, at his university-owned residence in New York on Saturday night, authorities said Sunday.

"On March 9, 2025, in support of President (Donald) Trump's executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student. Khalil led activities aligned to (the Palestinian group) Hamas, a designated terrorist organization," DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told Anadolu in an emailed statement.

Khalil's attorney, Amy Greer, said they do not know his precise whereabouts and filed a habeas corpus petition challenging the validity of his arrest and detention.

"Last night, ICE agents wrongfully arrested Mahmoud Khalil, claiming his student visa was revoked -- even though Mahmoud is a legal permanent resident (green card) and not in the U.S. on a student visa," Greer said in a statement.

The arrest follows Secretary of State Marco Rubio's recent announcement that foreign nationals, including international students, who express support for Hamas or other groups the administration designates as “terrorist organizations” will face visa denial and deportation.

Khalil's detention also comes amid an online campaign by pro-Israel groups calling for his removal. He was among the demonstrators at Barnard College in New York City a few days ago protesting the expulsion of three pro-Palestinian students.

According to a statement from Writers Against the War on Gaza (WAWOG), on Saturday evening, Khalil and his wife, a US citizen who is eight months pregnant, had unlocked the entrance to their building when two plainclothes DHS agents forced their way in.

The agents initially claimed that the State Department had revoked Khalil's student visa.

When his wife showed his green card to the agents, one was heard saying over the phone, “He has a green card,” according to the statement. The agents then claimed the State Department had revoked his green card as well.

Khalil's attorney tried to intervene by phone, requesting a copy of the warrant, but the agent allegedly hung up.

Asked about Khalil's case, a State Department spokesperson declined to comment on “individual visa cases,” saying that visa records are confidential under US law.

“In general, the Department has broad authority to revoke visas under Section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). We exercise that authority when information comes to light at any time indicating that a visa holder may be inadmissible to the United States or otherwise ineligible for a visa,” the spokesperson told Anadolu.

Columbia University acknowledged the reports of ICE around the campus, saying that "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," the university said in a statement.

Columbia was a focal point of last year's campus encampments, leading to arrests and disciplinary actions against students. These actions have sparked concerns about free speech on American campuses.

On Wednesday, a group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupied the Milstein Library at Barnard College in protest of a decision by the college to expel a third student demonstrator for campus activism in support of Palestine.

Barnard College is a separate institution from Columbia University, although it is affiliated.

The Trump administration announced on Friday that it had canceled approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University, citing the school's alleged failure to address anti-Semitism amid pro-Palestine protests at its campuses.