Mahmoud Khalil: A Political Prisoner in America

There exists no shortage of moments one might have found shocking since Donald Trump began his second term, but I personally find this one a step beyond that; it’s honestly pretty scary.

The United States of America is unlawfully detaining Mahmoud Khalil. He’s a permanent U.S. resident charged with no crimes. The Trump Administration doesn’t even dispute these facts; they simply argue they should be allowed to deport him anyway.

There exists no shortage of moments one might have found shocking since Donald Trump began his second term, but I personally find this one a step beyond that; it’s honestly pretty scary.

A legal permanent resident of the United States—someone who has committed no crime—was taken into custody by officers waiting at his dorm, hauled to an ICE detention center in Louisiana (because, apparently, there was nowhere closer to hold him?), and targeted for nothing more than his speech. If that doesn’t set off every single alarm bell in your head, it should.

Let’s be clear: Mahmoud Khalil is a political prisoner.

Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and a lawful U.S. resident, was arrested under the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism. His crime? Speaking out against genocide. ICE agents detained him without charges, relying on an obscure, rarely-used provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which allows for the deportation of any non-citizen deemed to have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the U.S. One more time, to be clear, the serious adverse foreign policy consequence in this particular situation is… his speech.

The Justification? A Joke.

The White House’s argument is as flimsy as it is terrifying. They claim Khalil “aligned with Hamas,” yet there’s no evidence he has ever had contact with the group, taken orders from them, or provided them with any support. Instead, they’re relying on the fact that he was involved in protests that were critical of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Criticizing a government’s actions is now enough to get you detained and deported? That’s not democracy. That’s authoritarianism.

Even worse, Khalil is married to an American citizen, who is eight months pregnant with their American child. His wife was initially told he was being held in New Jersey, but she attempted to visit and found out he wasn’t there. His lawyer reportedly met a dial tone when she requested to see a warrant. They way they’re handling this all-around isn’t just an attack on free speech—it’s deliberately cruel.

The boldness is scary.

They didn’t even bother to insinuate he’s here illegally, or imply he committed a deportable offense. Worst yet, they have no intention of stopping with Mahmoud. Trump has made it clear: Khalil’s arrest is just the beginning. The administration has stated outright that this is the “first arrest of many.” Let that sink in.

This isn’t about one man; it’s about criminalizing dissent. Trump’s war on pro-Palestinian activism isn’t new, but this crosses a new threshold. He’s no longer just going after people on student visas—he’s coming for green card holders now. Who’s next? What happens when they decide labor organizers are a national security threat? Or climate protesters? Or journalists? Because make no mistake, this sets a precedent that can be used against anyone.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt justified Khalil’s arrest, saying:

“Mahmoud Khalil was an individual who was given the privilege of coming to this country to study at one of our nation’s finest universities and colleges and he took advantage of that opportunity, of that privilege, by siding with terrorists, Hamas terrorists.”

A few things here:

1. Trump wasn’t even in office when these protests happened. Never mind that it’s an executive order, and his piece of paper doesn’t carry the weight of law and is currently making his way through the courts, but skip that; because of the words Mahmoud said at the protests last year, they want to deport him now.

2. Protesting genocide does not equal supporting Hamas. This kind of smear tactic is meant to shut down debate and silence dissent, an obvious false equivalency (BUT LET’S BE CLEAR: ‘Siding with terrorists’ is still not a crime. We may not like it if people do, but for the same reason we allow members of the KKK to continue walking freely, we don’t ARREST people for speech we don’t agree with).

3. Since when is free speech a “privilege” rather than a right? If legal residents don’t have the right to express political opinions, then we are not a free country.

Some of Congress Responds—But Will It Matter?

Fourteen House Democrats, including Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, have spoken out, calling Khalil’s detention an unconstitutional attack on free speech and an example of anti-Palestinian racism. Their letter to the Department of Homeland Security was scathing:

“Khalil has not been charged or convicted of any crime. As the Trump Administration proudly admits, he was targeted solely for his activism and organizing…”

“Khalil’s constitutional rights have been violated. He has been denied meaningful access to counsel and any visitation from his family. This is absolutely unacceptable — and illegal.”

But will it be enough? That remains to be seen. The courts have temporarily blocked his deportation, but this fight isn’t over.

This Is Bad For All Americans.

This is not about one man. This is about who we are as a country. If Mahmoud Khalil can be detained for political speech, so can anyone else. Political prisoners should not exist in the United States.

Yet here we are. And if this doesn’t terrify you, you’re not paying attention.

References

• Associated Press. (2025, March 10). The arrest of a Palestinian activist who helped organize campus protests of the war in Gaza has sparked questions about whether foreign students and green card holders are protected against being deported from the U.S. AP News. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-440828980a4ee7bf4ddcf3d123e02b3e

• Kim, M. (2025, March 10). The U.S. is trying to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a legal resident. Here’s what to know. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/us/politics/mahmoud-khalil-legal-resident-deportation.html

• ABC News. (2025, March 11). 14 House members demand release of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil after arrest at Columbia. Retrieved from https://ruralradio.com/bull/abc_news/14-house-members-demand-release-of-palestinian-activist-mahmoud-khalil-after-arrest-at-columbia-abcidbd78e091