Federal immigration authorities in the United States arrested a Palestinian graduate student who was actively involved in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University in New York. This action follows President Donald Trump’s pledge to deport foreign students participating in anti-Israel demonstrations.

Mahmoud Khalil, a student at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Sunday, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Khalil, a Palestinian refugee raised in Syria, holds a permanent residency green card.

The Student Workers of Columbia labor union (SWC) stated that Khalil was arrested at his university residence on Saturday evening. DHS accused Khalil of engaging in activities aligned with Hamas, a group designated as a terror organization by the US, along with the German government, the EU, and some Arab states. However, neither ICE nor DHS has accused Khalil of providing material support to Hamas.

Menadi Shaban

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/us-pro-palestinian-student-activist-mahmoud-khalil-arrested/a-71872786?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf