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Gulf Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Released pro-Palestinian protest leader sues Trump for $20m
Mahmoud Khalil, one of the most prominent leaders of US pro-Palestinian campus protests, sued the Trump administration on Thursday for $20 million over his arrest and detention by immigration agents. Khalil, a legal permanent resident in the United States who is married to a US citizen and has a US-born son, had been in custody following his arrest in March. The 30-year-old was freed from a federal immigration detention center in Louisiana last month, hours after a judge ordered his release on bail. "The administration carried out its illegal plan to arrest, detain, and deport Mr Khalil 'in a manner calculated to terrorise him and his family,' the claim says," according to the Center for Constitutional Rights which is backing Khalil. Khalil suffered "severe emotional distress, economic hardship (and) damage to his reputation," the claim adds. Mahmoud Khalil gives an interview in New York. AP The Columbia University graduate was a figurehead of student protests against US ally Israel's war in Gaza, and the Trump administration labeled him a national security threat. Khalil called the lawsuit a "first step towards accountability." "Nothing can restore the 104 days stolen from me. The trauma, the separation from my wife, the birth of my first child that I was forced to miss," he said in the statement. "There must be accountability for political retaliation and abuse of power." Khalil has previously shared his "horrendous" experience in detention, where he "shared a dorm with over 70 men, absolutely no privacy, lights on all the time." Signs in support of Mahmoud Khalil are displayed during an interview in New York. AP Assistant Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said "the Trump Administration acted well within its statutory and constitutional authority to detain Khalil, as it does with any alien who advocates for violence, glorifies and supports terrorists, harasses Jews, and damages property." President Donald Trump's government has justified pushing for Khalil's deportation by saying his continued presence in the United States could carry "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences." Khalil's detention came amid Trump's campaign against top US universities in recent months, with the president facing off against Columbia, Harvard and other schools over foreign student enrollment while cutting federal grants and threatening to strip accreditation. Beyond his legal case, Khalil's team has expressed fear he could face threats out of detention. Agence France-Presse
The Wire
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Mahmoud Khalil Files $20 Million Claim Against Trump Administration
Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student who played a prominent role in pro-Palestinian campus protests, filed a $20 million (over €17 million) claim Thursday against the Trump administration, arguing he was wrongly imprisoned. Khalil, a legal US resident, was arrested in March after President Donald Trump vowed to deport foreign students involved in the pro-Palestinian protest movement at US college campuses this year. He was held in an immigration detention center in Louisiana for three months before his release in June, which came just hours after a judge ordered him to be granted bail. "I hope this would serve as a deterrent for the administration," Khalil told the Reuters news agency. "Trump made it clear he only understands the language of money." What does Khalil's claim say? The claim alleges Khalil was the victim of "malicious prosecution and abuse of process, false arrest, false imprisonment and negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress," according to the Center for Constitutional Rights, which is supporting the Columbia graduate. The center states the Trump administration illegally arrested, detained and planned to deport Khalil "in a manner calculated to terrorize him and his family." It adds that his mistreatment by US authorities is causing "severe emotional distress, economic hardship, damage to his reputation, and significant impairment of his First Amendment and Fifth Amendment rights." A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security called Khalil's claim "absurd" and accused him of "hateful behavior and rhetoric" that threatened Jewish students in the US. Why was Khalil arrested? Khalil was one of the leaders of student-led protests against Israel's war in the Gaza Strip. The White House had said Khalil was a national security threat who had engaged in "antisemitic activities" with his criticism of Israel. The Trump administration has said Khalil's deportation is justified because of "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences" if he remains in the US. Why was Khalil arrested? Khalil was one of the leaders of student-led protests against Israel's war in the Gaza Strip. The White House had said Khalil was a national security threat who had engaged in "antisemitic activities" with his criticism of Israel. The Trump administration has said Khalil's deportation is justified because of "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences" if he remains in the US. What else did Khalil say? Khalil, who is an Algerian national born in Syria, said the claim filed on Thursday is "the first step towards accountability." "Nothing can restore the 104 days stolen from me. The trauma, the separation from my wife, the birth of my first child that I was forced to miss," he said. "There must be accountability for political retaliation and abuse of power," Khalil added. Khalil said he would also accept an official apology and a pledge to stop targeting pro-Palestinian speech with arrests, detention or deportation instead of the money.
DW
6 days ago
- Politics
- DW
US: Mahmoud Khalil sues Trump administration for $20m – DW – 07/11/2025
The Columbia University graduate and Palestinian activist was held for months after being arrested by immigration agents. The US government had sought to deport him over his role in campus protests over the war in Gaza. Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student who played a prominent role in pro-Palestinian campus protests, filed a $20 million (over €17 million) claim Thursday against the Trump administration, arguing he was wrongly imprisoned. Khalil, a legal US resident, was arrested in March after President Donald Trump vowed to deport foreign students involved in the pro-Palestinian protest movement at US college campuses this year. He was held in an immigration detention center in Louisiana for three months before his release in June, which came just hours after a judge ordered him to be granted bail. "I hope this would serve as a deterrent for the administration," Khalil told the Reuters news agency. "Trump made it clear he only understands the language of money."The claim alleges Khalil was the victim of "malicious prosecution and abuse of process, false arrest, false imprisonment, and negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress," according to the Center for Constitutional Rights, which is supporting the Columbia graduate. It states the Trump administration illegally arrested, detained, and planned to deport Khalil "in a manner calculated to terrorize him and his family." It adds that his mistreatment by US authorities is causing "severe emotional distress, economic hardship, damage to his reputation, and significant impairment of his First Amendment and Fifth Amendment rights." A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security called Khalil's claim "absurd" and accused him of "hateful behavior and rhetoric" that threatened Jewish students in the US. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Khalil was one of the leaders of student-led protests against Israel's war in the Gaza Strip. The White House had said Khalil was a national security threat who had engaged in "antisemitic activities" with his criticism of Israel. The Trump administration has said Khalil's deportation is justified because of "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences" if he remains in the US. Khalil, who is an Algerian national born in Syria, said the claim filed on Thursday is "the first step towards accountability." "Nothing can restore the 104 days stolen from me. The trauma, the separation from my wife, the birth of my first child that I was forced to miss," he said. "There must be accountability for political retaliation and abuse of power," Khalil added. Khalil said he would also accept an official apology and a pledge to stop targeting pro-Palestinian speech with arrests, detention or deportation instead of the money. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
USA Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Mahmoud Khalil, detained Columbia graduate, makes $20M claim against Trump administration
Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil, who was held for months in immigration detention in connection with his pro-Palestinian activism, is seeking $20 million in a claim filed against the Trump administration on July 10. Khalil alleges in the claim that the government abused its power to falsely arrest, imprison and prosecute him. His treatment caused 'severe emotional distress, economic hardship, damage to his reputation, and significant impairment of his First Amendment and Fifth Amendment rights," the claim states. Arrested on March 8 in Manhattan, the 30-year-old activist was held in a facility in Louisiana, 1,400 miles from his pregnant wife and, later, newborn son. On June 20, a federal judge in New Jersey ordered his release, finding that the government's efforts to deport him on foreign policy grounds were likely unconstitutional. 'This is the first step towards accountability," Khalil said in a statement. "Nothing can restore the 104 days stolen from me. The trauma, the separation from my wife, the birth of my first child that I was forced to miss." He called for "accountability for political retaliation and abuse of power." The harm resulted from Secretary of State Marco Rubio's determination that Khalil's presence and activities are adverse to foreign policy interest, the claim says. The Trump administration has stated that it has the authority to deport noncitizens on foreign policy grounds under a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Responding to Khalil's claim, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that "it is a privilege to be granted a visa or green card to live and study in the United States of America" and that "the Trump Administration acted well within its statutory and constitutional authority to detain Khalil." President Donald Trump has called protesters against Israel's war in Gaza antisemitic and conflated protests with support for 'terrorist activities.' Khalil said such allegations, lobbed against him, were false and caused "extreme emotional distress and irreparably spoiled his reputation, career, and safety." Khalil has condemned antisemitism before and since his arrest. The allegations have made Khalil and his wife a target of harassment, death threats, surveillance and frivolous litigation, the claim says. Khalil said the government's treatment is retaliation for constitutionally protected speech in defense of Palestinian rights and that he would not be silenced. His claim is a precursor to a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, said the Center for Constitutional Rights, which is part of his legal team. Khalil still faces charge Khalil still faces a charge in federal court in New Jersey that he had inaccuracies on his green card application. He and his lawyers say the allegations are false. On July 9, his lawyers filed a motion challenging the government's attempts to detain and deport him based on the immigration charge as unconstitutional. A Palestinian born in Syria, Khalil was a student negotiator and spokesman for protesters at Columbia in the spring of 2024, when demonstrations against war in Gaza gripped college campuses. Federal immigration agents arrested Khalil on March 8 in the lobby of his student apartment building in Manhattan as he returned home from dinner with his wife. 'Free Mahmoud': Columbia students erupt in chants at 2025 commencement Khalil said in his statement that he would "continue to pursue justice against everyone who contributed to my unlawful detention or spread lies in an attempt to destroy my reputation, including those affiliated with Columbia University." "I'm holding the U.S. government accountable not just for myself, but for everyone they try to silence through fear, exile, or detention," he said. Khalil's lawyers submitted the claim against the departments of Homeland Security and State under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which allows people to sue the U.S. government for damages for violations of civil law. Khalil is seeking $20 million in damages for personal injury and emotional distress. He would accept, in lieu of payment, an official apology and abandonment of the administration's unconstitutional policy, said a statement from his lawyers.
NDTV
6 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Pro-Palestinian Protest Leader Mahmoud Khalil Sues Trump For $20 Million
Washington: Mahmoud Khalil, one of the most prominent leaders of US pro-Palestinian campus protests, sued the Trump administration Thursday for $20 million over his arrest and detention by immigration agents. Khalil, a legal permanent resident in the United States who is married to a US citizen and has a US-born son, had been in custody following his arrest in March. The 30-year-old was freed from a federal immigration detention center in Louisiana last month, hours after a judge ordered his release on bail. "The administration carried out its illegal plan to arrest, detain, and deport Mr. Khalil 'in a manner calculated to terrorize him and his family,' the claim says," according to the Center for Constitutional Rights which is backing Khalil. Khalil suffered "severe emotional distress, economic hardship (and) damage to his reputation," the claim adds. The Columbia University graduate was a figurehead of student protests against US ally Israel's war in Gaza, and the Trump administration labeled him a national security threat. Khalil called the lawsuit a "first step towards accountability." "Nothing can restore the 104 days stolen from me. The trauma, the separation from my wife, the birth of my first child that I was forced to miss," he said in the statement. "There must be accountability for political retaliation and abuse of power." Khalil has previously shared his "horrendous" experience in detention, where he "shared a dorm with over 70 men, absolutely no privacy, lights on all the time." Assistant Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said "the Trump Administration acted well within its statutory and constitutional authority to detain Khalil, as it does with any alien who advocates for violence, glorifies and supports terrorists, harasses Jews, and damages property." President Donald Trump's government has justified pushing for Khalil's deportation by saying his continued presence in the United States could carry "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences." Khalil's detention came amid Trump's campaign against top US universities in recent months, with the president facing off against Columbia, Harvard and other schools over foreign student enrollment while cutting federal grants and threatening to strip accreditation. Beyond his legal case, Khalil's team has expressed fear he could face threats out of detention.
