Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and former Columbia University student, is speaking out after being held in U.S. immigration detention for over 100 days. In a recent CNN interview, Khalil claimed the Trump administration targeted him for political reasons tied to his campus activism.
“They want to conflate any speech for the right of Palestinians with a speech that‘s supporting terrorism, which is totally wrong,” Khalil told Christiane Amanpour. He believes his detention was meant to intimidate him and others. “They want to make an example out of me.”
Khalil, a green card holder, was arrested in March without criminal charges. He says he was shackled during the transfer to Louisiana, and by the time he arrived, “my leg was fully swollen, and I couldn’t walk.”
While in custody, he was denied temporary release to meet his newborn son. “It was the most difficult moment in my life,” Khalil said. “It could have been avoided.”
“The protests were peaceful,” Khalil noted, explaining that students were calling on Columbia University to stop supporting what they view as genocide in Gaza. “It’s a message that even if you are a legal resident, even if you are a citizen, actually, that we will find a way to come after you.”
His lawyers have filed a $20 million claim, accusing the administration of political retaliation. A White House spokesperson told Axios that Khalil had “consistently engaged in conduct detrimental to American foreign policy interests.”
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