Congress Members Demand Release of Mahmoud Khalil, Detained by ICE Over Gaza Solidarity Encampment

Fourteen members of the U.S. Congress, all Democrats, have signed a letter demanding the immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and legal permanent resident who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week. The letter, addressed to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, describes Khalil's detention as a 'direct assault on the freedom of speech of everyone in the country' and an act of 'anti-Palestinian racism.' Khalil, known for his advocacy against Israel's actions in Gaza, was a lead negotiator for the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia University. Khalil was arrested without a warrant or formal charges, according to the letter. He was transferred to an ICE facility in central Louisiana, over 1,300 miles from his home in New York, and has been denied access to his attorney and family. Khalil is married to a U.S. citizen who is eight months pregnant. The lawmakers assert that Khalil's detention violates his constitutional rights and is an attempt to criminalize political protest, specifically targeting his involvement in the Columbia University protest. A federal judge has temporarily blocked Khalil's deportation pending a hearing, following a habeas corpus petition filed by his lawyer. The Trump administration has defended the arrest, citing Khalil's alleged support for Hamas as justification for revoking his green card under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The conflict in Gaza has resulted in over 62,000 Palestinians dead, 120,000 wounded, and nearly 2.4 million people uprooted. The administration has indicated that more arrests are expected.