Trump praises Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest as ‘first of many to come’ 

US President Donald Trump yesterday hailed the detention of Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate, Mahmoud Khalil, as the “first of many to come”, linking it to a broader crackdown on what his administration calls “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity” on university campuses.

Khalil, a permanent US resident with a Green Card, was returning home with his pregnant wife when plainclothes officers approached him in his university-owned apartment building on Saturday. According to legal filings, the officers identified themselves as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents and took him into custody, ordering his wife, a US citizen, to return to her apartment or face arrest.

US President Donald Trump yesterday hailed the detention of Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate, Mahmoud Khalil, as the “first of many to come”, linking it to a broader crackdown on what his administration calls “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American… pic.twitter.com/sbPxDCehf8

— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) March 11, 2025

Without providing evidence, Trump accused Khalil and other activists of being “paid agitators” and vowed to deport them permanently.

Emails obtained by Zeteo reveal that Khalil had reached out to Columbia University for protection just a day before his arrest. In an email to interim President Katrina Armstrong on 7 March, Khalil detailed a “vicious, coordinated, and dehumanizing doxxing campaign” against him, led by Columbia affiliates who labelled him a security threat and called for his deportation. He expressed fear for his safety, writing, “I haven’t been able to sleep, fearing that ICE or a dangerous individual might come to my home.” He urged the university to intervene and provide legal support, but no meaningful response was given.

READ: Green Card holder Palestinian activist arrested in US immigration crackdown

Khalil was a key negotiator in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University last year, mediating between students and administrators. His attorneys argue that his arrest is part of a coordinated effort to suppress campus activism critical of Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Court documents state that ICE agents initially claimed Khalil’s student visa was revoked, and when he presented proof of permanent residency, they asserted his Green Card had also been rescinded without explanation.

His whereabouts remain unclear. Initially detained in New Jersey, Khalil was reportedly transferred to a facility in Louisiana. A federal judge in Manhattan has scheduled a hearing for tomorrow to review his legal challenge. Meanwhile, Columbia students have launched a letter-writing campaign advocating for his release, and New York Attorney General Letitia James has pledged to monitor the case closely.

READ: US government cuts $400 million funding to Columbia University over pro-Palestine protests