Mahmoud Khalil fights deportation after 104 days in detention

Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student and Palestinian activist, has been released from immigration detention following a 104-day period of incarceration. Khalil was apprehended by federal agents from his New York apartment in March 2025.

Khalil gained prominence as a spokesperson for student-led movements at Columbia University advocating for divestment from Israel. His legal team, which includes representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Constitutional Rights, is currently petitioning the Supreme Court to overturn a deportation order on constitutional grounds.

Despite his release, Khalil remains under the threat of deportation by the Trump administration. He recently published a memoir titled ‘No Land to Stand On,’ which details his journey from Syria and Lebanon to his legal struggles in the United States.