Mahmoud Khalil returns to Columbia University following US detention

Mahmoud Khalil Columbia University pro-Palestinian activism campus protests US immigration authorities

Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil returned to Columbia University on Tuesday to discuss his new memoir, ‘No Land to Stand On: Notes from Detention’. This marks his first visit to the campus since his arrest by immigration authorities on March 8, 2025, during a federal crackdown on foreign student activists.

Khalil, a 31-year-old Columbia graduate and figurehead of the 2024 campus protest movement, described the event, attended by approximately 100 people, as a “victory”. He accused university leadership of attempting “to erase me, to erase any Palestinian voices on campus” and criticized the institution for its handling of 2024 demonstrations, specifically citing the use of police to clear protesters from the Manhattan campus.

In response to the visit, which faced opposition from some Jewish groups on social media, a Columbia University spokesperson stated the institution is “committed to rigorous debate, inquiry, and respectful dialogue across differing perspectives.” The university added that supporting faculty-organized academic events does not constitute an endorsement of a speaker’s views.

Entities

Ari Shrage · Center for Palestine Studies · Columbia University · Columbia University Jewish Alumni Association · Donald Trump · Mahmoud Khalil · New York Police Department · United States

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Khalil returned to campus to attend an event regarding his new memoir. www.sadanews.ps
[○ 1 SOURCE] Columbia University stated it supports the right of faculty to organize academic events. www.sadanews.ps
[● 2 SOURCES] Khalil was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria. almanartv.com.lb · almanar.com.lb
[● 3 SOURCES] Khalil was held for three months without criminal charges. www.sadanews.ps · almanartv.com.lb · almanar.com.lb
[○ 1 SOURCE] Mahmoud Khalil returned to Columbia University on Tuesday. www.sadanews.ps
[● 3 SOURCES] The Trump administration conducted a campaign against pro-Palestinian activists. www.sadanews.ps · almanartv.com.lb · almanar.com.lb
[● 2 SOURCES] Khalil holds permanent residency in the United States. almanartv.com.lb · almanar.com.lb
[● 3 SOURCES] Khalil was detained by U.S. immigration authorities on March 9, 2025. www.sadanews.ps · almanartv.com.lb · almanar.com.lb