• Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate, is suing the U.S. government for $20 million after being detained for more than 100 days over his participation in pro-Palestinian protests. The case raises questions about immigration enforcement, free speech, and the legal reach of U.S. foreign policy determinations under President Trump’s administration.

NEW YORK, NY (TDR) — Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent U.S. resident and Palestinian refugee raised in Syria, has filed a $20 million legal claim against the U.S. government after being detained in immigration custody for over three months. The detention followed his role in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University earlier this year.

Khalil was arrested by immigration agents on 8 March at his home in New York, in front of his pregnant wife. He was held at a detention facility in Louisiana until 20 June, when a federal judge ruled he was not a flight risk or public danger and ordered his release.

Legal claim cites foreign policy designation

On Thursday, Khalil’s legal team submitted a claim seeking damages for false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and emotional distress. The complaint alleges that Khalil was targeted due to a foreign policy determination issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

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“These harms are the result of Secretary Rubio’s determination that Mr Khalil posed serious and adverse foreign policy consequences and would compromise a compelling U.S. foreign policy interest,” the claim reads.

Khalil’s attorneys argue that the determination allowed immigration authorities to detain him without due process, based on his participation in protests critical of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

“What they did to me is they tried something, it failed, but still the harm is already there,” Khalil said in an Associated Press interview. “Unless there’s some sort of accountability for that, they will continue to go unchecked.”

Government defends detention

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has pushed back on the lawsuit. Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS spokesperson, told the AP that the claim was “absurd” and accused Khalil of “hateful behavior and rhetoric” that threatened Jewish students on campus.

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The BBC has reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for additional comment.

Khalil, who missed the birth of his first child during his detention, said the experience caused long-lasting emotional distress. He has demanded either $20 million in damages or an official apology from the Trump administration.

Broader trend of student detentions

Khalil is not alone. Turkish student Rümeysa Öztürk and Indian scholar Badar Khan Suri were also detained after participating in similar campus protests. Both have since been released.

The case has sparked debate over how immigration enforcement intersects with political activism, particularly when foreign policy interests are cited.

Should non-citizens face immigration consequences for engaging in peaceful protest—or does this raise deeper questions about civil liberties and political dissent?

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