Mahmoud Khalil issues first statement from US detention

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and recent Columbia University graduate, has spoken publicly for the first time since his detention by US immigration authorities, denouncing what he calls a politically motivated arrest aimed at silencing pro-Palestinian advocacy.

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In a statement written from a detention facility in Louisiana, Khalil described the conditions of his arrest on March 8, when he and his wife were approached by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents without a warrant as they returned from dinner.

“Before I knew what was happening, agents handcuffed and forced me into an unmarked car,” he wrote. “At that moment, my only concern was for Noor’s safety.”

He detailed his subsequent transfer between multiple detention centers, where he was reportedly denied basic necessities such as a blanket. Khalil attributed his detention to his activism, stating, “My arrest was a direct consequence of exercising my right to free speech as I advocated for a free Palestine and an end to the genocide in Gaza.”

Born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, Khalil has been a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights and was active in student-led movements at Columbia University. He accused the university of enabling his targeting by the US government, citing disciplinary measures against pro-Palestinian students and the alleged release of student records to federal authorities.

“Columbia targeted me for my activism,” he wrote. “They created a new authoritarian disciplinary office to bypass due process and silence students criticizing Israel.”

Khalil compared his detention to the Israeli Occupation's widespread use of administrative detention against Palestinians, referencing figures such as Omar Khatib and Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, who remain imprisoned without charge. He also criticized both the Biden and Trump administrations for supporting the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) actions in Gaza while suppressing pro-Palestinian activism in the US.

Khalil’s arrest has sparked outcry from advocacy groups and student organizations who view it as part of a broader crackdown on dissent. “At stake are not just our voices, but the fundamental civil liberties of all,” he warned, urging students, advocates, and elected officials to rally in defense of the right to protest for Palestine.

As he awaits legal proceedings that could determine his fate, Khalil expressed a deeply personal concern: the possibility of missing the birth of his first child. “I hope nonetheless to be free to witness the birth of my first-born child,” he concluded.