Pro-Palestine Columbia student arrested as Trump targets university protests

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate from Columbia University, was arrested by US immigration officials on March 8. Khalil, who played a leading role in organizing the 2024 campus protests at the Ivy League school, is now facing the revocation of his permanent residency, commonly known as a green card.

According to Khalil's attorney, Amy Greer, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents informed her that they intend to revoke his green card, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Khalil’s arrest marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s crackdown on student protesters. President Donald Trump, known for his repeated threats to target universities that serve as hubs for protests, has taken steps to back these claims since assuming office in January 2020. Last week, Trump further intensified his rhetoric, warning that the US government would halt federal funding for universities that allow "illegal protests."

“Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

This move came just days after the Trump administration withdrew $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University, accusing the institution of not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism. The action follows a broader campaign by Trump to silence pro-Palestinian protests, which gained momentum last year amid Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

In response, US Ambassador-designate to the United Nations, Elise Stefanik, echoed Trump’s stance, saying, “antisemitism and anti-Israel hate will not be tolerated on American campuses,” confirming that pro-Palestinian protesters and critical speech about Israel are the primary targets.

In addition to his threats regarding funding, Trump signed a series of executive orders in January, which included deporting foreign students and faculty involved in pro-Palestinian protests and establishing a task force to combat alleged anti-Semitic speech on campuses.

By Vafa Guliyeva