Terorrist? Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil investigated over national security concerns as judge delays deportation

A former Columbia University graduate student and activist, Mahmoud Khalil, is under federal investigation for potential national security concerns, a source familiar with the matter said Monday. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Khalil over the weekend, and he is currently being held at a detention facility in Louisiana while his deportation status is reviewed.

Khalil, a Palestinian-born Syrian national who earned his degree from Columbia in December 2024, has been a prominent organizer of campus protests related to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. His legal team has since filed a petition arguing that ICE unlawfully detained him, leading a federal judge in Manhattan to temporarily halt his deportation while the case proceeds.

The White House has not publicly disclosed the nature of the intelligence that led to Khalil's arrest, but a source claimed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was presented with information indicating that Khalil was considered a security risk.

In a statement, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed Khalil's arrest, citing President Trump’s executive order regarding campus-related antisemitism and alleged support for extremist organizations.

"On March 9, 2025, in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting antisemitism, and in coordination with the Department of State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student," McLaughlin stated.

President Trump took to his social media platform to comment on the case, calling Khalil’s arrest "the first of many" and suggesting further federal action against students allegedly involved in campus demonstrations deemed extremist by the administration.

Khalil, 30, was arrested at a Columbia-owned apartment in New York. His role in organizing campus demonstrations, including student encampments and building occupations at Columbia and Barnard College, had placed him under increased scrutiny. One recent protest at Barnard involved nearly 200 masked students and the distribution of controversial literature.

Despite completing his degree, Khalil remained actively involved in protests, including a March 5 event at Barnard’s Milstein Library, where demonstrators occupied the building and distributed flyers that referenced the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. His presence in these protests, as well as his leadership role in the activist group Columbia United Apartheid Divest (CUAD), was noted in the ongoing federal review of campus-based activism.

His attorney, Amy Greer, condemned the arrest as an infringement on free speech and student activism. "The U.S. government is repressing political speech, particularly targeting students at Columbia University who have criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza," Greer stated.

The Department of State and DHS have suggested that additional reviews are underway regarding visa-holding students and noncitizens engaged in protest activities that may be in violation of federal guidelines. A legal debate has emerged over the extent to which international students can be subject to deportation for their political activities.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has increased pressure on universities regarding antisemitism concerns, recently withdrawing $400 million in federal grants from Columbia. The administration’s Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism has also announced planned visits to 10 U.S. universities, including Harvard, NYU, and UCLA, to investigate campus incidents related to antisemitic harassment.

As Khalil’s legal case moves forward, immigration law experts suggest that his status will ultimately be determined by an immigration court. While the Secretary of State has the power to revoke green cards, legal scholars emphasize that such actions must follow due process, including review by an immigration judge.