The arrest of a Palestinian activist at Columbia University has sparked heated debates across the country. Federal immigration agents detained Mahmoud Khalil, a former graduate student, over claims he supported Hamas. The Trump administration says this is just the start of a crackdown on radicals in American colleges.
Khalil was taken from his apartment by ICE agents last weekend. Officials say he organized protests tied to Hamas, a terrorist group. They argue his actions threatened national security. The government plans to send him back to Syria, where he was born. His lawyers are fighting the deportation in court.
President Trump praised the arrest, calling it the first step in cleaning up campuses. “We won’t tolerate anti-American activity,” he said. The White House warned more arrests are coming. They accuse colleges of hiding foreign students who back terrorism.
Columbia University claims it didn’t help ICE make the arrest. But the administration punished the school by cutting $400 million in funding. They say Columbia failed to protect Jewish students from hate. Some professors say the government is bullying schools that allow protests.
Khalil led big pro-Palestinian rallies at Columbia last year. He met with school leaders as a protest negotiator. The government found social media posts they call “pro-Hamas.” They say he spread propaganda and disrupted classes. His supporters claim he’s being targeted for free speech.
This case tests immigration rules for green card holders. Normally, permanent residents can’t be deported without serious crimes. But the administration says supporting terrorists is enough. They’re using a rarely enforced law about foreign policy risks.
Protesters marched in New York demanding Khalil’s release. His wife is eight months pregnant and begged for mercy. Conservative groups back the arrest, saying schools became too soft on extremism. They want foreign radicals out of U.S. classrooms.
The court will decide if Khalil stays or goes. Either way, this fight shows how heated the campus culture wars have become. The administration vows to keep pushing until every “terror sympathizer” is removed.
