Mahmoud Khalil Files $20M Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Detention
Pro-Palestine Activist Mahmoud Khalil Sues Trump Administration for $20 Million Over Detention
July 10, 2025 — Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent voice in the U.S. pro-Palestine student movement, has filed a $20 million lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing it of politically motivated detention and abuse of power.
Khalil, a 30-year-old legal U.S. resident, was arrested by immigration agents in March and held in a federal detention center in Louisiana for 104 days before a judge granted his release last month. He is married to a U.S. citizen and is the father of a U.S.-born child.
The lawsuit, supported by the Center for Constitutional Rights, alleges that Khalil’s detention was intentionally designed to intimidate him and his family, causing deep emotional trauma, financial harm, and reputational damage.
“Nothing can return the 104 days taken from me,” Khalil said in a statement. “I missed the birth of my first child. I was separated from my wife. This was political retaliation — and there must be accountability.”
The Columbia University graduate became a national figure during campus protests condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza. U.S. officials under Trump labeled him a national security threat — a claim Khalil and his legal team deny, saying it was used to justify silencing dissent.
In detention, Khalil shared a dorm with over 70 men, describing the conditions as inhumane: “no privacy, lights constantly on, and degrading treatment.”
Crackdown on Pro-Palestinian Activists
Khalil’s case is one of many detentions carried out as part of a broader Trump-era crackdown on activists critical of U.S. support for Israel. Authorities claimed Khalil’s continued presence in the country could carry “serious foreign policy risks.”
Following his arrest, several other pro-Palestinian scholars and students were also targeted:
- Badar Khan Suri, a researcher at Georgetown University, was detained shortly after Khalil. His lawyer claimed the arrest was linked to his Palestinian spouse. He was later released.
- Momodou Taal, another student activist, was summoned for detention days later.
- On March 25, Columbia University student Yunseo Chung filed a lawsuit to stop her deportation over participation in a Gaza protest.
- Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts PhD candidate, was reportedly abducted in daylight by U.S. agents on the same day for criticizing Israel.
- Mohsen Mahdawi was arrested during his citizenship interview on April 14, then released on April 30.
Khalil’s legal team has voiced concern for his safety even after release, warning that he may still face harassment or retaliation for his activism.
