Mahmoud Khalil lawsuit alleges effort to silence pro-Palestinian activism

NEW YORK - Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure from Columbia University’s pro-Palestinian protests, is speaking out about his new federal lawsuit and ongoing fight against deportation.

What we know:

Khalil appeared on FOX 5 NY’s Newsroom Live to discuss a federal lawsuit accusing Trump administration officials, the Heritage Foundation and pro-Israel advocacy groups of conspiring to violate his constitutional rights.

Dan Bowens introduced Khalil as one of the most recognizable faces of the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University and one of the Trump administration’s highest-profile immigration targets.

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The lawsuit alleges that officials and outside groups worked together in an effort to silence Khalil’s activism and deport him.

Khalil denies allegations of antisemitism and immigration fraud.

What Khalil said about the lawsuit

When asked about the strongest evidence in his case, Khalil pointed to court records in Massachusetts.

Khalil said a judge there found that government officials conspired to deprive him of his freedom of speech. He argued that his case is about whether the federal government can work with private groups to target people for First Amendment-protected activism.

"Our case is very simple," Khalil said. "The federal government should not be colluding with private groups to target and persecute people for their First Amendment-protected support of Palestinian rights."

Khalil accused groups including Canary Mission, Betar and the Heritage Foundation of creating plans to target people they oppose.

He said he hopes the case sheds light on what he described as efforts to shut down a growing movement for Palestinian rights.

Detention in Louisiana

Khalil also described being detained and moved from New York to Louisiana.

He said he was shocked when he was taken into custody, saying he had not committed a crime and was initially told his visa had been revoked, even though he said he was a permanent resident.

Khalil said the experience reminded him of why he left Syria, saying he came to the United States seeking rule of law and due process.

He also criticized the conditions in Louisiana, saying he was held in a room with more than 70 people and was not immediately told what his charges were.

Administration’s allegations

During the interview, FOX 5 noted that the White House has said Khalil’s immigration status was obtained through fraud and that the administration has authority to deport him.

Khalil rejected that claim.

"These accusations are baseless," he said, adding that the administration has not produced evidence to support its allegations.

Khalil also said the allegations are tied to his green card application, not his visa, and argued that the administration is trying to deport him because of his speech.

Antisemitism allegation

Khalil also pushed back against claims that his activism crossed into antisemitism.

He said antisemitism has no place in his movement and said he draws the line between criticizing Israel’s government and criticizing a religion or people.

Khalil accused the administration of conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism, saying he has built his movement alongside Jewish allies.

What's next:

Khalil’s lawsuit is moving forward while his immigration case remains pending.

The broader legal fight centers on his claim that his activism was targeted because of his political speech, while the administration has argued that it has grounds to pursue deportation.