His attorney Amy E. Greer said Khalil was told by ICE agents that his student visa had been revoked. He told agents he was a permanent resident and had a green card but was detained anyway.

Where is Khalil reportedly being held?

Khalil is reportedly being held in Elizabeth, New Jersey but his wife was told he wasn’t present when she tried to visit him on Sunday. Khalil’s wife is a U.S. citizen and said she has also been threatened with arrest, according to the news outlet.

“We will vigorously be pursuing Mahmoud’s rights in court, and will continue our efforts to right this terrible and inexcusable — and calculated — wrong committed against him,” Greer said in a statement.

https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1899124961190547725

She added that the arrest comes amid repression against students’ right to protest by the government and goes against freedom of speech.

The arrest “follows the U.S. government’s open repression of student activism and political speech, specifically targeting students at Columbia University for criticism of Israel’s assault on Gaza. The U.S. government has made clear that they will use immigration enforcement as a tool to suppress that speech.”

Trump has said he’d deport international students involved in pro-Palestine protests

News of Khalil’s detainment comes after President Donald Trump said he will deport international students who participated in on-campus protests in support of Palestine. He referred to protestors as Hamas supporters and to the on-campus protests as being “pro-jihadist.”

“We will find you, and we will deport you,” Trump said, according to The Washington Post.

“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came,” he wrote on Truth Social. “American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Khalil previously called out Trump for comparing pro-Palestinian protesters to terrorists and highlighted the importance of free speech.

The reaction from Columbia University community

A petition advocating for his release has reached over a million signatures.

“Columbia University, which recently published a new protocol on its plans to cooperate with ICE, has targeted Khalil for his Palestinian identity and outspoken activism on multiple occasions over the last 17 months. He served as a lead negotiator during the Gaza Solidarity Encampment last spring and has frequently appeared in media interviews and press conferences,” the petition reads. “This racist targeting serves to instill fear in pro-Palestine activists as well as a warning to others.”

Student unions such as Student Workers of Columbia have called on the university to protect students and employees while on campus. Columbia noted the presence of ICE on its campus.

“Consistent with our long-standing practice and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter nonpublic University areas, including University buildings. Columbia is committed to complying with all legal obligations and supporting our student body and campus community,” the university wrote in a statement, per The Washington Post.

In its protocol, it added that ICE agents may have access to university buildings or people without a warrant under “exigent circumstances.”