U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the arrest of a Columbia University graduate and a leader of pro-Palestinianprotests on campus, promising that "there is much more to come."
"Shalom, Mahmoud," read the official White House post, which went on to proudly detail the Saturday arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a former student and organizer of pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia. Hours later, a federal judge in New York ruled that Khalil would not be deported from the U.S. for the time being.
Federal Judge Jesse Furman ruled that Khalil should not bedeportedin order to "preserve the court’s jurisdiction." A hearing on petitions for his release from detention was scheduled for Wednesday.
Before the court ruling, Trump had already expressed satisfaction with the arrest, calling it “the first of many to come.”
Khalil, who earned a master's degree from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs in December, was arrested in New York by immigration agents and transported thousands of miles from his home to a detention facility in Jena, Louisiana. The facility has been notorious for reports of mistreatment of detainees, civil rights violations, and unexplained deaths.
Arrest sparks outrage and political debate
Khalil’s arrest has angered his supporters while providing the Trump administration with an opportunity to showcase its hardline stance against pro-Palestinian protesters at elite U.S. universities.
Although he completed his studies, a Ynet investigation found that Khalil was seen last week negotiating on behalf of students who had barricaded themselves inside Barnard College, Columbia’s affiliated women’s college. A viral video showed him holding a megaphone and chastising the university’s president.
Public reaction to his arrest was swift. Khalil, a Green Card holder married to an American citizen in the late stages of pregnancy, received widespread support. A petition demanding his release gathered hundreds of thousands of signatures within hours, while politicians and human rights groups condemned the move.
His supporters claim the charges against him are politically motivated rather than legitimate immigration violations. “This is an abuse of immigration law for the sake of political persecution,” said his attorney, Amy Greer, who vowed to appeal the arrest. While some legal experts question the legality of the move and whether it constitutes selective enforcement for political purposes, the Trump administration has made its stance clear: “We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again.”
Khalil’s plea for protection before arrest
A day before his arrest, Khalil sent an email to Columbia University President Katrina Armstrong, pleading with her to intervene and offer him protection. Armstrong did not respond to his request. In his letter, Khalil claimed he was the target of a “coordinated and ruthless smear campaign” by pro-Israel activists, including Israeli professor Shai Davidai and the U.S. branch of the Betar movement, who had called for his deportation and, according to him, “threatened his life.”
“I can’t sleep at night, fearing that immigration agents or a dangerous individual will come to my home,” Khalil wrote. “I urgently need legal support, and I am calling on you to intervene and provide the necessary protections to prevent further harm.”
His fears intensified after reports surfaced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents had been seen on campus in the past week. A university-issued document warned staff that they could not intervene if immigration agents sought access to school grounds without a warrant.
“I have outlined the broader context,” Khalil wrote, “yet Columbia has failed to provide any meaningful support or resources in response to this escalating threat.”