Democrats flew to visit Mahmoud Khalil at an ICE facility

Mahmoud Khalil is a Palestinian national and lawful permanent resident in the United States who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in March 2025, as part of the strengthened actions by President Donald Trump’s administration to protect national security and combat radicalization and antisemitism within academic institutions.

Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University, had emerged as a leading figure in the pro-Palestinian protests on campus. Federal authorities allege that Khalil not only led demonstrations with extremist slogans but also maintained ideological ties to Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization involved in inciting violence and carrying out attacks against civilians.

Khalil’s arrest is part of the federal government’s broader commitment to prevent individuals with radical and antisemitic views from using academic spaces to promote hate speech or glorify terrorism. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE acted within legal bounds to detain him and transfer him to the LaSalle detention center in Louisiana, pending review of his immigration case.

The case has drawn public attention, especially from activists and left-wing groups who attempt to downplay the dangers of extremism disguised as student activism. The Trump administration has reaffirmed that it will not allow terrorist sympathizers to hide behind freedom of speech to endanger the safety and core values of the United States.