Freed after 104 days of unjust detention, Columbia University student and Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil vows to continue his fight for Palestinian rights and immigrant justice. After being arrested by ICE agents following peaceful protests against Israeli violence in Gaza, Khalil describes his experience as a kidnapping and pledges to use his newfound freedom to advocate against the unjust targeting of immigrants in the United States
After 104 days of detention at a Louisiana ICE facility, Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil, 30, is free. Detained in March following peaceful protests at Columbia University against Israel's actions in Gaza, Khalil, a Columbia student, was taken from his NYC home by ICE agents. His release marks a victory for immigrant rights and freedom of speech
Released from 104 days of immigration detention, Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil reveals the ineffectiveness of "Know Your Rights" resources, stating, "There are no rights in such situations," in his first interview since his unjust arrest
Columbia University student and Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil's recent release after 104 days of immigration detention evokes memories of his escape from Syria. His arrest by ICE agents mirrored the authoritarian tactics of the Syrian government he fled as a teenager, after witnessing the disappearance of two friends at the hands of government agents. This experience fuels his continued activism for Palestinian rights and immigrant justice in the US
Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and Palestinian rights activist, describes his 104-day immigration detention as a kidnapping, mirroring the oppression he fled in Syria. His initial 30 hours in custody, spent in complete isolation from his pregnant wife, tragically recreated the very reality he escaped
Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil describes his ICE arrest as a kidnapping, alleging plainclothes agents snatched him from his apartment without identification or a warrant. His 104-day detention highlights the plight of immigrants facing unjust targeting and underscores his continued fight for Palestinian rights and immigrant justice
Despite ongoing immigration proceedings, Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and Palestinian rights activist, maintains his innocence. He is married to a U.S. citizen and obtained his green card in November
Immigrant rights activist Mahmoud Khalil, recently released after 104 days of detention, exposes the inhumane realities of ICE raids. His arrest highlights a systemic targeting and dehumanization of immigrants, tearing families apart. Khalil's experience, following his peaceful protest against U.S. foreign policy, sparked widespread outrage and protests against militarized ICE enforcement and the use of plainclothes agents. His ongoing fight for justice extends beyond his own case, advocating for all immigrants unjustly targeted within the U.S. system
Released from 104 days of unjust immigration detention, Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil describes his ordeal: "The detention center was overcrowded with hundreds facing illegal existence claims, with no release date in sight. Patience was a luxury we couldn't afford." His detention highlights the plight of immigrants unjustly targeted by US immigration policies
ICE Detention: Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil details his 104-day ordeal in a Louisiana ICE facility, describing overcrowded conditions—sharing a dorm with over 70 men, under constant lights, and with no privacy—and the struggle to maintain dignity amidst unjust detention. He found purpose in translating for fellow detainees, helping them communicate vital needs regarding medical care and finances with authorities, highlighting the lack of rights and support within the system
Released after 104 days of unjust detention, Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil shares harrowing stories of fellow detainees, including a father of four whose wife battles cancer and a man deported after two decades in the U.S. Khalil's own ordeal included missing the birth of his son while imprisoned, highlighting the human cost of immigration detention and fueling his continued fight for immigrant rights
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“It’s so normal in detention to see men cry, because they can’t understand why they are there. They know they don’t have documents, but does this actually mean that they should be detained?” he said. “What’s happening behind ICE detention gates is horrendous. It’s a stain on the U.S. Constitution, it’s a stain on the U.S. consciousness, because I fear that in a couple of decades we’ll look back at what’s happening now and regret that.”
Khalil said on Sunday that he will continue “no matter the personal cost” to loudly protest for the freedom of Palestinians, immigrants torn from their families, and those being persecuted by the Trump administration for exercising free speech. While the administration continues to accuse Khalil of being a threat to American foreign policy, the activist said the effort to use his detention “to scare people into silence” has had the opposite effect.
“Mahmoud is free now, but we are not done – because this is bigger than one man, one family or one moment,” his wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, said at the rally. “Mahmoud’s release is a victory, but it’s not justice. Justice is accountability. Justice is no more families ripped apart.”
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