Noor Abdalla, Mahmoud Khalil’s wife, accuses the US government of attempting to suppress pro-Palestinian activism.
Abdalla stated on Monday that she delivered their first child in New York without Khalil, claiming that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intentionally chose to cause suffering for their family.
“My son and I shouldn’t be going through his first days on earth without Mahmoud,” said Abdalla, a US citizen, in her statement.
“ICE and the Trump administration have taken these precious moments away from our family in an effort to silence Mahmoud’s advocacy for Palestinian freedom.”
“I will fight every day until Mahmoud is free to return home to us,” Abdalla added.
“Once Mahmoud is released, he will teach our son to be brave, kind, and compassionate, just like his dad,” Abdalla noted.
ICE did not immediately respond to a comment request.
Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University who took part in last year’s campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, was detained by immigration authorities on March 8 as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism.
The Trump administration wishes to deport Khalil, currently held at an ICE facility in Louisiana, claiming that his pro-Palestine advocacy has undermined US efforts to “fight anti-Semitism” and protect Jewish students from harassment and violence.
Khalil, a permanent US resident, denies engaging in anti-Semitism.
An immigration judge in Louisiana recently approved the Trump administration’s plan to proceed with Khalil’s deportation, citing “clear and convincing evidence that he is removable.”
Khalil’s lawyers have stated their intention to appeal the ruling.
