Khalil Returns to Columbia Campus Amid Ongoing Deportation Bid
The activist's return marks his first appearance since his March 2025 arrest, occurring as the Trump administration continues to pursue his removal from the United States.
By Leila Saeed ·
Mahmoud Khalil returned to Columbia University on Tuesday for the first time since his arrest in March 2025. The 31-year-old graduate attended a book event for his memoir, No Land to Stand On: Notes from Detention, while the Trump administration continues to pursue his deportation.
Khalil was detained by immigration authorities on March 8, 2025, during a federal crackdown on foreign student activists. He was held for three months without criminal charge despite holding permanent US residency. His release from immigration custody came on June 20, 2025, but legal uncertainty remains.
Speaking at the event attended by approximately 100 people, Khalil described his return as a victory. He argued that student advocacy has altered public perception of Palestinians and influenced political leadership. In an interview with AFP, he stated that the American public is finally looking at Palestinians as equal humans. He pointed to recent electoral results as evidence, naming Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as examples of this shift.
The visit drew opposition from some Jewish groups on social media. A Columbia spokesperson said the university is committed to rigorous debate and respectful dialogue across differing perspectives. The statement clarified that an invitation to speak does not signify university endorsement of a speaker's views. The university supports faculty members' right to organize academic events.
Khalil criticized the university's leadership for attempting to erase Palestinian voices from campus. He specifically cited the decision to authorize the New York Police Department to clear demonstrators from the Manhattan campus in 2024. Columbia stated at the time that the demonstrations posed a safety threat. Khalil said the university failed to protect him from harassment before his detention. He told AFP that the administration chose brutality and repression.
Khalil framed his legal struggle as a fight for normalcy and free expression. He said a big part of his fight is for the ability to return to an ordinary life as a young father. He noted that his case is about whether people in the country can speak their minds, not just whether he gets to stay.
Source: Al Jazeera
