Washington, DC – Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia College protest chief focused for deportation by President Donald Trump, has met with lawmakers in Washington, DC.
The go to on Tuesday comes simply greater than a month after the 30-year-old, a authorized everlasting resident of the US, was released from immigration custody in Louisiana.
“I’m right here in Washington, DC, right now to fulfill with lawmakers, with members of Congress, to demand the top of the US-funded genocide in Gaza, and in addition to demand accountability from Columbia College, from the Trump administration for his or her retaliation towards my speech,” mentioned Khalil in a video interview with the information company Reuters.
“To be sincere, I really feel that that is my obligation to proceed advocating for Palestinians. That is what the Trump administration tried to do. They tried to silence me. However I’m right here to say that we are going to proceed to withstand. We’re not backing down.”
Khalil continues to face deportation beneath the Trump administration, which has relied on an obscure provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 in its makes an attempt to expel worldwide college students concerned in pro-Palestinian advocacy.
Underneath the regulation, the secretary of state can expel a international nationwide if their presence within the nation is deemed to have “probably critical hostile international coverage penalties for the US”, though the usual for making that willpower stays unclear.
I met with Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian pupil at Columbia College, who was imprisoned for 104 days by the Trump administration for opposing Netanyahu’s unlawful & horrific conflict in Gaza. Outrageous.
We should not permit Trump to destroy the First Modification & freedom to dissent. pic.twitter.com/2iaIi8dUWF
— Sen. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 22, 2025
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and immigration officers have repeatedly portrayed Khalil’s advocacy as anti-Jewish and supportive of Hamas, however they’ve failed to offer proof backing these claims.
Attorneys for Khalil and three different college students focused for deportation by the Trump administration — Mohsen Mahdawi, Rumeysa Ozturk and Badar Khan Suri — have argued that their arrests trample on the constitutionally protected freedom of speech.
A number of district judges have sided with that place in ordering the scholars’ launch from custody as their instances proceed in immigration courtroom.
Earlier this month, Khalil, who missed the start of his son whereas detained, filed a lawsuit towards the Trump administration alleging malicious prosecution, in addition to false arrest and imprisonment. He’s looking for $20m in damages or an apology from the federal government.
US Senator Bernie Sanders was among the many lawmakers who met with Khalil on Tuesday.
“We should not permit Trump to destroy the First Modification & freedom to dissent,” Sanders mentioned in a submit on the social media platform X, accompanied by a photograph with Khalil.
Mahmoud Khalil is a sort, mild soul who cares deeply about others’ humanity, and his abduction, detention, and ongoing persecution by the Trump Admin is egregious.
I’m deeply relieved that he has been reunited along with his spouse and his toddler son. Our assembly right now was fortifying… pic.twitter.com/HgWWkTafPw
— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) July 22, 2025
Khalil additionally met with Congress members Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Jim McGovern, Troy Carter and Summer time Lee.
“Mahmoud Khalil is a sort, mild soul who cares deeply about others’ humanity, and his abduction, detention, and ongoing persecution by the Trump Admin is egregious,” Pressley wrote in a submit on X.
“Our assembly right now was fortifying and productive.”
In its personal social media message on Tuesday, the Division of Homeland Safety as soon as once more referred to as Khalil a “terrorist sympathiser”, accusing him of anti-Jewish “hateful habits and rhetoric”.
Nevertheless, forward of his launch in June, federal Choose Michael Farbiarz mentioned he had given the administration legal professionals ample time to help the general public statements made towards Khalil. He mentioned they failed to take action.
“The petitioner’s profession and fame are being broken and his speech is being chilled,” Farbiarz wrote on the time. “This provides as much as irreparable hurt.”
