By: Abdullahi Inuwa
In a powerful victory for student activism and civil liberties, Palestinian activist and former Columbia University student, Mahmoud Khalil, walked free this week after spending three months in immigration detention.
The release follows a federal judge’s ruling ordering his immediate freedom, citing concerns over due process violations and mounting public outrage over what many see as a politically motivated crackdown targeting pro-Palestine student voices.
Khalil, a prominent figure in the Palestine solidarity movement on American campuses, was detained in March under contested immigration circumstances. His arrest came shortly after he participated in a high-profile protest at Columbia University, which drew national attention during a wave of student-led demonstrations denouncing Israeli military actions in Gaza.
Civil rights groups and student organizations have since rallied in Khalil’s defense, calling his detention a “dangerous escalation” of efforts to silence dissent. Critics blame the crackdown on lingering Trump-era immigration enforcement policies that, they argue, are being selectively applied to intimidate voices critical of U.S. foreign policy and Israeli occupation.
“This was never about immigration status. It was about shutting down a Palestinian student for daring to speak truth to power,” said Lina Awad, a legal advisor with the National Students for Justice in Palestine. “Mahmoud’s release is a victory—but the fight is far from over.”
The judge’s decision comes amid growing national backlash against the criminalization of Palestine solidarity activism, especially on college campuses. Over the past year, students at dozens of universities have reported disciplinary actions, surveillance, and even threats of expulsion over peaceful protests in support of Gaza and the broader Palestinian cause.
Mahmoud Khalil’s case quickly became a symbol of this broader crackdown, sparking international headlines and campus walkouts. His supporters argued that he was targeted not for breaking the law, but for exercising his First Amendment rights.
“Three months in detention didn’t break me,” Khalil told a cheering crowd outside the detention facility in New Jersey shortly after his release. “If anything, it reminded me of what Palestinians everywhere face every day: punishment for resisting injustice. But we will not be silenced.”
While the Department of Homeland Security has yet to comment on the ruling, pressure is mounting on the Biden administration to review remaining detentions tied to student protests and to formally distance itself from the legacy of Trump-era immigration and policing policies.
As Mahmoud Khalil reunites with his family and prepares to return to advocacy work, his supporters are hailing his freedom as a reminder that public pressure and solidarity can move the needle—even in the face of institutional repression.
“Mahmoud is free, but the cause continues,” said Columbia student organizer Janelle Rivera. “We won’t stop until every voice for Palestine is protected—not punished.”
@AJEnglish
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