Mahmoud Khalil seeks $20M from the Trump administration -- or an apology
Khalil, who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more than three months as the Trump administration pushed for his deportation, alleges false arrest and imprisonment, malicious prosecution, intentional infliction of emotional distress and other alleged wrongdoings.
The complaint, a precursor to a federal lawsuit, was filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
MORE: Trial challenging administration's deportation of pro-Palestinian scholars gets underway
According to the Center for Constitutional Rights, the organization representing Khalil, the Columbia graduate would use the money to 'help others similarly targeted by the Trump administration and Columbia University.'
In a press release, the organization said: 'He would accept, in lieu of payment, an official apology and abandonment of the administration's unconstitutional policy."
Khalil, 30, helped lead and negotiate on behalf of the pro-Palestinian encampments that spread at Columbia during the spring of 2024, amid the Israel-Hamas war.
Khalil, a green card holder married to a U.S. citizen, was detained by ICE agents in his New York apartment building in March -- the first high-profile pro-Palestinian activist to be detained by ICE during the administration of President Donald Trump, who had vowed to "crush" the campus protests, calling them hotbeds of antisemitism.
MORE: Mahmoud Khalil vows to keep fighting for Palestinians after release from ICE custody
Khalil was transferred to an ICE facility in Louisiana, while the Trump administration pressed in court for his deportation.
The Trump administration said Khalil was detained for his purported support of Hamas -- a claim his legal team has rejected and for which the administration provided no evidence.
In court proceedings earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio -- citing a rarely used provision of the law -- determined Khalil should be deported because his continued presence in the country would pose a risk to U.S. foreign policy.
An immigration judge in Louisiana initially found Khalil deportable, but a federal judge in New Jersey later issued an order barring the Trump administration from deporting or continuing to detain Khalil on that basis.
Khalil was released from custody on June 20, but the Trump administration is continuing to seek his deportation.
MORE: Mahmoud Khalil, in 1st broadcast interview, says he'll continue to 'advocate for what's right'
Khalil's complaint also accuses the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and ICE of conducting a 'retaliatory arrest' against Khalil over his constitutionally protected speech.
"Officials at the highest levels of the United States government publicly lashed out at Mr. Khalil on social media, falsely labeling him a terrorist sympathizer and an anti-semite — derogatory charges designed to destroy Mr. Khalil's reputation, put him in physical danger and cause extreme emotional distress,' the complaint stated.
In a statement to ABC News, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the Trump administration acted within its legal and constitutional authority to detain Khalil.
"Mahmoud Khalil's claim that DHS officials branded him as an antisemite and terrorized him and his family is absurd," McLaughlin said in the statement. "It was Khalil who terrorized Jewish students on campus. He 'branded' himself as antisemite through his own hateful behavior and rhetoric. It is a privilege to be granted a visa or green card to live and study in the United States of America."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Morning Bid: Euro shrugs at tariffs, but bonds balk
By Mike Dolan LONDON (Reuters) - What matters in U.S. and global markets today By Mike Dolan, Editor-At-Large, Finance and Markets European markets have given something of a gallic shrug to Donald Trump's tariff threat against the region over the weekend, with investor concern instead appearing to build about the intensifying White House attack on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. I'll discuss this and the rest of today's market news below. Be sure to check out my column, where I explain why U.S. investors may have a serious case of dollar-driven FOMO. Today's Market Minute * The EU has already prepared a list of tariffs worth 21 billion euros ($24.52 billion) on U.S. goods if they fail to reach a trade deal, Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday. * Japan's central bank may face political pressure to keep interest rates low for longer than it wants, as opposition parties favouring tax cuts and loose monetary policy are expected to gain influence after a July 20 election. * Oil markets have remained remarkably resilient so far this year, despite concerns over U.S. trade policies and rising OPEC+ production quotas. But as ROI energy columnist Ron Bousso writes, that strength will now be tested, as Saudi output is starting to surge just as demand appears to be slowing. * Investors may be fixated on Donald Trump's attacks on the Federal Reserve, but Mike Peacock, a former head of communications at the Bank of England, claims the BoE also faces increasing political scrutiny, raising alarm bells about the future of central bank independence. * The United States, the world's top corn supplier, is set to export a record volume of corn in the waning 2024-25 marketing year, slightly edging out 2020-21's high. But ROI agriculture columnist Karen Braun says there's a catch. Euro shrugs at tariffs, but bonds balk Maybe it's partly to do with the Bastille Day holiday in France and also a delayed start to the week's heavy events calendar, but Trump's weekend plan to hit European Union and Mexican imports with a 30% tariff from next month saw the euro and euro zone stocks tick only modestly lower on Monday. As with the sweep of other August 1 tariff plans that Trump detailed in letters sent last week, investors suspect much may change between now and then and are reluctant to take the standing numbers at face value just yet. What's more, there's still no real consensus on whether the U.S. trade war damages the American economy more or less than any of the countries it's targetting. And in currency markets, the dollar has been the one unequivocal loser from the whole policy piece this year so far. The EU said on Sunday it would extend its suspension of countermeasures to U.S. tariffs until early August and continue to press for a negotiated settlement. But the bloc refuses to roll over and Italy's Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, said the EU has already prepared a list of tariffs worth more than 21 billion euros on U.S. goods, if the sides fail to reach a deal. EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic said that even though the EU wants a favorable agreement, it was preparing possible countermeasures. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday that the bloc's more draconian retaliatory tool, the so-called "Anti Coercion Instrument" was created for extraordinary situations and "we are not there yet." European stocks slipped about 0.5% on Monday, with the euro virtually unchanged from Friday's close just under $1.17. Even euro auto sector stocks, in the frontline of a U.S. tariff squeeze, were only down just over 1%. There were bigger reactions in long-dated government bonds, however. German benchmark yields pushed to their highest since April 1 and 30-year yields hit their highest since October 2023. The move in debt yields was hard to pin on the trade situation, even if the heightened fears of a tit-for-tat trade war may prove inflationary - and even stagflationary - for all. Despite the holiday, traders eyed French President Emmanuel Macron's announced plans to push forward defence spending with an already strapped budget - pledging to double the military budget by 2027, three years earlier than originally planned. But the fresh backup in long-dated debt yields was more global, with Japan's 10 and 30 year government borrowing rates hitting their highest since May on Monday on a mix of domestic political and fiscal nerves ahead of upper house elections on July 20. More broadly, the widening bond selloff may owe as much to worries about the mounting attacks from the Trump administration on the Fed and its chair, Powell. Even though Trump has previously said he won't fire Powell before his term expires early next year, his attacks on the Fed boss are now almost daily and have shifted in tone toward accusations of mismanagement as much as distaste for the monetary policy stance. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett, seen by some as one possible contender to replace Powell, said Trump had the authority to fire Powell "if there's cause", and the Fed "has a lot to answer for" on renovation cost overruns at its Washington headquarters. Hassett told ABC's "This Week" program that any decision by Trump to try to fire Powell over what the Trump administration calls a $700 million cost overrun "is going to depend a lot on the answers that we get to the questions that (budget director)Russ Vought sent to the Fed." Investors fear for Fed independence given Trump is seeking rate cuts of up to three percentage points even with inflation and inflation expectations well above the central bank's target. With the immigration crackdown potentially upping risks of another worker shortage and higher wages, the tension on that score is unnerving bond markets. Thirty-year Treasury yields hit their highest in more than a month - within 2 basis points of the 5% threshold. Wall Street stock futures were in the red again after a down day for the main indexes on Friday. The dollar index was a shade firmer. Tuesday sees the release of June U.S. consumer price inflation data that will give some indication of whether the limited amounts of tariffs that have hit to date are starting feeding household cost of living more broadly. Crude oil prices rose on Monday and reached their highest level in three weeks as investors eyed further U.S. sanctions on Russia that may affect global supplies. What's clear is that tariffs are flattering Federal budget revenues already, with a surprise surplus seen in June. The second-quarter corporate earnings season also kicks into gear on Tuesday, with updates from the big banks. Elsewhere, Chinese stocks and the yuan were firmer as China's exports regained momentum in June, with firms rushing orders to capitalise on a fragile tariff truce between Beijing and Washington ahead of this month's latest deadlines. Chart of the day: Bitcoin crossed the $120,000 level for the first time on Monday, marking a milestone for the world's largest cryptocurrency as investors bet on long-sought policy wins for the industry this week. Later today, the U.S. House of Representatives will debate a series of bills to provide the digital asset industry with the regulatory framework it has long demanded. Today's events to watch * European Central Bank board member Piero Cipollone speaks * US corporate earnings: Fastenal Opinions expressed are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias. (by Mike Dolan; editing by Aidan Lewis) Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Newsom, Vance exchange jabs over immigration after VP's California vacation: 'Hope you enjoy your family time'
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Vice President JD Vance traded barbs this weekend over the Trump administration's mass deportation policies after the vice president's vacation to Disneyland in the Golden State. Vance was spending time at the California amusement park with his wife Usha and their two children before Newsom, a Democrat, posted on social media that some migrant families cannot spend the same quality time together because of the administration's efforts to detain and remove migrants in the U.S. "Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance. The families you're tearing apart certainly won't," Newsom wrote on X. Union Says Farm Worker Died After Ice Raid That Uncovered Underage Laborers The vice president responded by thanking Newsom for the well-wishes without addressing the governor's comment about families being separated. "Had a great time, thanks," Vance wrote back. Read On The Fox News App Demonstrators gathered in Anaheim to protest Vance and the administration's immigration agenda. Vance's visit came shortly after ICE raids on two farms in California, during which federal agents detained a few hundred suspected illegal immigrants, sparking protests against the immigration enforcement operation. One person was killed in the raids and others were critically injured. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Rodney Scott said 10 illegal migrant minors – including eight unaccompanied – were discovered at a farm in Camarillo and that it was under investigation for child labor violations. Immigration Operation At California Cannabis Farms Leads To Clash Between Federal Agents And Protesters The operation at the farms came after weeks of anti-ICE protests in Southern California over raids targeting migrant workers at local businesses. In response to those protests that began last month, the administration deployed National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles, despite opposition from article source: Newsom, Vance exchange jabs over immigration after VP's California vacation: 'Hope you enjoy your family time'
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Newsom, federal officials clash after immigration raids at cannabis farms in Southern California
Gov. Gavin Newsom and federal officials took to social media on Thursday to respond to raids at two cannabis farms in Southern California. The immigration sweeps, one at Glass House Farms in Camarillo and another Glass House facility in Carpinteria, unfolded simultaneously at around 8:30 a.m. on Thursday morning. 'Trump calls me 'Newscum' — but he's the real scum,' Newsom wrote on X, including a video from KTLA of protesters of the raid running from tear gas sprayed by officers in Camarillo. Dozens, including undocumented minors, were arrested during the immigration raids. In a post on X, the Department of Homeland Security responded to Newsom, asking, 'Why are there children working at a marijuana facility, Gavin?' Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said 10 minors in the country illegally were found at the facility, which is now 'under investigation for child labor violations.' This is Newsom's California, Scott posted on X. The cannabis company confirmed on social media that workers were detained, and they are working to provide them with legal assistance. However, the company denied employing minors. 'Glass House has never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors,' the company said on X. The raids in Ventura County come after federal agents descended upon MacArthur Park in the Westlake district of Los Angeles on Monday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
