Government admits wrongful arrest of Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil
- Department of Homeland Security confirmed Mahmoud Khalil was arrested without a warrant, stating exigent circumstances justified the action.
- DHS claims Khalil posed a flight risk, citing his statement about leaving the scene, which contrasts with accounts from his lawyers.
- Khalil's legal team argues his detention is illegal and assert that he is being treated as a political prisoner.
In the United States, Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent legal resident and Columbia University student activist, was arrested on March 8, 2025, by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. The events unfolded as Khalil was approached in the foyer of his apartment building by federal agents. Although Khalil was reportedly compliant, he was taken into custody without a warrant, a fact later confirmed by government lawyers in a New Jersey court filing. They claimed that exigent circumstances justified the warrantless arrest, citing concerns that he posed a flight risk due to statements he made about leaving the scene while verifying his identification documents. The ruling did not align with witness accounts reported by Khalil's lawyers, who highlight that agents failed to exhibit any arrest warrant during the incident. According to attorney Amy Greer, Khalil calmly complied with the authorities despite the agents' coercive tactics.Recent developments in Khalil's case have raised significant concerns regarding the legality of his detention and the validity of the government's actions. Khalil's lawyers criticized DHS’s justification for the arrest as baseless and a desperate effort to rationalize their unlawful conduct. Furthermore, the American Civil Liberties Union contested the government's claims, asserting that video evidence suggests Khalil was not about to flee, directly contradicting the agents' characterization of him. Khalil had actively participated in pro-Palestinian activism at Columbia, which sparked the government's interest in his activities, emphasizing the tension between civil liberties and national security measures undertaken by the Trump administration. Khalil remains in detention at a facility in Louisiana as his legal team continues to fight for his release, criticizing the detention process and lack of due process he has experienced through this ordeal. They argue vigorously that he is a political prisoner, facing repercussions for his views and activism. This incident highlights broader issues concerning the treatment of activists in the U.S. and the government's approach to surveillance and enforcement against individuals based on their political beliefs.