The wife of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and activist, stated on Tuesday night after her husband was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York.
Khalil, who was a key figure in the Gaza solidarity protest last year at Columbia, is now facing the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke his green card and deport him. Khalil’s wife, who is eight months pregnant and a U.S. citizen, made an emotional plea for the world to continue speaking out against his arrest, which she described as unjust and horrific.
In her statement, she explained the terrifying moment when ICE officers arrived at their home on Saturday night as they were about to enter their residence in university housing. The couple had just returned from an Iftar dinner, the meal eaten at sunset by Muslims during Ramadan. Khalil’s wife said that an ICE officer followed them into their building and asked if Khalil was present. After confirming his identity, the officer informed Khalil that he needed to come with them.
The officer then ordered Khalil to hand over the apartment keys to his wife and let her go upstairs. However, when she refused to leave him, the officer threatened to arrest her as well. Khalil’s wife described how the officers did not show a warrant and hung up on their lawyer when contacted. Despite the terrifying situation, Khalil remained calm.
The arrest came just days after a doxing campaign had targeted Khalil, with anti-Palestinian groups spreading false claims and making threats against him. Khalil was so worried about his safety that he emailed Columbia University on March 7, requesting legal support and expressing fear that ICE or a dangerous individual might show up at his door.
Khalil’s wife said the university did not respond to the email. The couple had been expecting their first child, and instead of preparing for their baby’s arrival, she was left wondering when she would hear from her husband in detention. She demanded that the U.S. government release Khalil, reinstate his green card, and bring him home.
Khalil was involved in organizing the Gaza solidarity encampment last spring at Columbia University, where pro-Palestinian activists set up a protest on campus. The protest, which was critical of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, led to tensions with the university and ultimately Khalil’s arrest.
Former President Donald Trump responded to the arrest by claiming it was just the beginning of a series of actions targeting protesters against Israel’s policies. Trump’s comments about Khalil being a “paid agitator” have drawn sharp criticism for lacking any evidence.
Despite completing his graduate studies at Columbia in December, Khalil was still working on his master’s degree, which he is set to finish in May. His arrest and the effort to revoke his green card have ignited protests and drawn outrage from free speech organizations, which have condemned the arrest as an attack on Khalil’s First Amendment rights. Many believe the actions taken by the Trump administration are reminiscent of McCarthyism, where people were persecuted for their political views during the 1950s.
Khalil’s wife shared the trauma she had experienced since the arrest, saying it had been a nightmare leading up to that moment. She recalled the targeted campaign against her husband, which began six days before the arrest. She described the threats and false claims that were spread about him.
Khalil, who had no involvement in the social media posts in question, had been facing multiple allegations related to the protests and his activism. He had told his wife that he had around 13 allegations against him, most of them concerning things he did not do.
In her statement, Khalil’s wife said that she could not focus on preparing their home for the arrival of their child because of the uncertainty surrounding Khalil’s detention. She reflected on her own background, explaining that her parents had come to the U.S. from Syria, escaping an oppressive regime.
They had believed that life in America would be safe and stable. However, now, as she faces the possibility of giving birth without her husband by her side, she said she felt more unsafe and unstable than ever before.
Khalil’s case is also connected to a broader investigation by a newly formed university committee looking into students who have been critical of Israel. This committee was formed in response to accusations of antisemitism on campus after protests erupted against Israel’s military response to the Hamas attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Khalil was one of several students under investigation, and the university had not provided any support for him, despite his repeated requests.
In her statement, Khalil’s wife called for the immediate release of her husband, urging the U.S. government to reinstate his green card and bring him back home. She expressed disbelief that, after 40 years of living in the U.S., her family was now experiencing such fear and instability. She said the arrest had ripped her soul apart, especially with the imminent arrival of their child.
A federal judge, Jesse Furman, intervened on Monday by blocking Khalil’s deportation. The judge scheduled a hearing for Wednesday, where Khalil’s lawyers hope to secure his release. The case has drawn attention from various advocacy groups, including those defending free speech and civil rights, who see Khalil’s arrest as a dangerous precedent for activists and students across the country.
Khalil’s arrest and the subsequent legal battles highlight the ongoing tension between activism, immigration policies, and free speech in the United States. As Khalil’s wife waits for answers, she continues to call on the public to demand justice and to ensure that her husband is released from detention and allowed to return home.
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