Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate, has emerged as a prominent voice in the US for Palestinian rights and a symbol of free speech under fire. On 17 October, a federal judge allowed Khalil to travel and speak at rallies across the country as he continues to fight a Trump-era deportation case that his lawyers say was politically motivated.
Khalil, a legal US permanent resident married to a US citizen, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on 8 March. The Trump administration accused him of leading “antisemitic” protests at Columbia University, a claim Khalil strongly denies. He maintains that he was targeted for his activism and his outspoken stance against Israel’s war in Gaza.
Born in Syria to Palestinian parents, Mahmoud Khalil has deep personal ties to the Palestinian struggle. He identifies as being from Tiberias, a historically mixed Jewish-Arab city in Israel from which Palestinians were expelled during the 1948 Nakba. Khalil earned his degree in computer science from the Lebanese American University in Beirut and later worked with the Syrian-American non-profit Jusoor. He also managed the Syria Chevening Programme at the British Embassy in Beirut, which offers scholarships for students to study in the UK.
At Columbia University, Khalil completed a Master’s in Public Administration in December 2024. He became known as a spokesperson and mediator for the Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) movement, which urged the institution to cut financial ties with companies linked to Israel. Though he was often labeled a “leader” of the group, Khalil clarified that he only served as a representative voice for the protesters.
In his lawsuit against the Trump administration, Khalil alleges that he was “falsely imprisoned and maliciously prosecuted” after being “kidnapped” by plainclothes federal agents who refused to show a warrant. He says he was detained for three months at an immigration facility in Louisiana, where he was denied medical care and subjected to harsh conditions.
“I am a Palestinian political prisoner in the US,” Khalil once said. “I am being targeted for my activism.”
Khalil has since sued the Trump administration for $20 million, seeking justice for what he describes as a politically charged attempt to silence pro-Palestinian advocacy on American campuses.
On Tuesday, a panel of judges from the Philadelphia-based 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals appeared skeptical of the administration’s renewed effort to deport Khalil. His legal team, led by attorney Alina Das, has vowed to continue fighting the case.
“He wants to travel for the very significant First Amendment reasons that are at the bottom of this case,” Das said. “He wants to speak to issues of public concern.”
As Khalil regains the right to speak publicly and travel, his case has become a flashpoint in the broader debate over free speech, dissent, and the rights of pro-Palestinian activists in the United States.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
