Immigration Agents Arrested Protester Without Warrant, Government Documents Reveal
Federal agents apprehended Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure in last year’s anti-Israel protests at Columbia University, without possessing a warrant, according to recently released court documents. The arrest, which occurred approximately six weeks ago from Khalil’s university residence in New York City, has ignited legal challenges and sparked widespread protest.
Khalil, facing potential deportation initiated by the Trump administration, was taken into custody by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). During the arrest, he was informed that his green card and student visa would be revoked and subsequently transported to a Louisiana detention center.
The legal filings indicate that when agents initially approached Khalil on March 8th, they requested his cooperation in verifying his identity. According to the government’s account, Khalil refused to cooperate and stated his intention to leave the scene. A lawyer for Homeland Security subsequently asserted that this prompted a belief of “flight risk,” justifying the arrest.
Khalil’s legal team strongly disputes this narrative. They claim Khalil’s wife attempted to retrieve his green card, only to find him being arrested. Khalil, originally from Syria and raised as a Palestinian, is now a permanent U.S. resident.
“Today, we now know why they never showed Mahmoud that warrant — they didn’t have one,” stated Amy Greer, Khalil’s attorney. “This is clearly yet another desperate attempt by the Trump administration to justify its unlawful arrest and detention of human rights defender Mahmoud Khalil, who is now, by the government’s own tacit admission, a political prisoner of the United States.”
The Department of Homeland Security previously justified the arrest on grounds of national security, alleging that Khalil had participated in activities aligned with Hamas, an organization designated as a terrorist group.
- Khalil played a significant role in last year’s protests at Columbia University.
- He met with university officials representing Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student coalition advocating for divestment from Israel.
- Khalil served as a spokesperson for the protesting students.
An immigration judge has already ruled in favor of Khalil’s deportation based on his involvement in the protests. His legal representatives are currently appealing this decision.
Marc Van Der Hout, also representing Khalil and speaking on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union, expressed outrage at the government’s initial claim that an arrest warrant existed. “The government’s admission is astounding… This is egregious conduct by DHS that should require, under the law, termination of these proceedings.”
Khalil completed his master’s degree requirements from Columbia University in December. He is a grandson of Palestinian refugees who were displaced from their homeland and was born in Syria.
His wife, a U.S. citizen, recently gave birth to their child—an event Khalil missed after ICE denied his request for temporary release to attend the birth.
Khalil’s case has spurred protests across New York City, including demonstrations at Trump Tower that resulted in numerous arrests. The situation is being widely viewed as indicative of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to detain and deport visa holders who participated in campus protests.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the arrest, alleging Khalil distributed propaganda materials supporting Hamas. “This administration is not going to tolerate individuals having the privilege of studying in our country and then siding with pro-terrorist organizations that have killed Americans,” she stated.
