Palestinian activist’s arrest: Trump’s crackdown on dissent against Israel

The Trump administration arrested a Palestinian student activist, Mahmoud Khalil, who played a key role in organizing the student encampment movement at Columbia University, on Saturday. Federal immigration authorities claimed they were acting on a State Department order to take action against him as part of a process to revoke his green card.

Mahmoud Khalil was taken into custody from his university-owned apartment near Columbia’s main campus in New York, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents executing the arrest under what they described as a directive to revoke his student visa. When informed that Khalil, who graduated last December, was a permanent resident with a green card, the agents reportedly stated that they were revoking that as well.

The arrest has come amid the Trump administration’s intensified scrutiny of protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, with the former president pledging to deport foreign students and imprison demonstrators involved in such movements.

Columbia University has been at the centre of federal action, as the government announced on Friday that it would be cutting $400 million in grants and contracts, citing the institution’s alleged failure to curb antisemitism on campus.

Khalil, known for his prominent role in last spring’s encampment protests, was actively involved in negotiations with university administrators and had vowed that demonstrations would continue in response to Columbia’s financial and academic ties with Israel.

Khalil’s detention has raised concerns among civil rights advocates, as his attorney has not been provided with further details regarding the reason for his arrest. His wife, who is eight months pregnant, was not given any information about his detention, and he has since been transferred to an immigration facility in New Jersey.

The case has drawn criticism from activists and legal experts, who argue that only an immigration court has the authority to revoke a green card, rather than a government department acting unilaterally.

Khalil was already under investigation by a newly formed university disciplinary committee, which has been scrutinising students for their criticism of Israel. In recent weeks, dozens of students have received notices related to their involvement in unauthorised protests or social media activity supporting Palestinian rights.

The Columbia encampment movement, which started last spring, inspired similar demonstrations at universities across the United States, with students calling for divestment from companies benefiting from Israeli policies.

Immigration authorities and government officials have yet to provide an official explanation for Khalil’s detention, but reports suggest that a new policy under Secretary of State Marco Rubio seeks to revoke visas from foreign nationals deemed to support groups such as Hamas, with artificial intelligence being used to identify individuals.

The move has sparked concerns about the erosion of free speech and due process, with critics arguing that Khalil’s arrest represents an escalation in targeting student activists.

Civil rights organisations have condemned the detention, stating that it undermines constitutional protections and sets a dangerous precedent for political activism in the United States. They have called for Khalil’s immediate release, warning that such actions could instil fear among students and activists speaking out on contentious political issues.

While Columbia University has maintained that law enforcement agents must present a warrant before entering university property, it has not clarified whether such a warrant was provided in Khalil’s case.