Khalil's criticism of the Trump administration comes on the heels of his release from immigration detention, where he spent over three months.
**Activist Mahmoud Khalil Critiques Trump Administration After Release from Detention**
**Activist Mahmoud Khalil Critiques Trump Administration After Release from Detention**
Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University activist, asserts that efforts to silence pro-Palestinian voices have failed.
Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil has emerged from more than three months in immigration detention, proclaiming that the Trump administration's attempts to silence pro-Palestinian voices have ultimately failed. Speaking to the BBC upon his return to Newark, New Jersey, Khalil stated, "My existence is a message" directed at the Trump administration, following his contentious arrest on March 8 during pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia. This incident ignited significant protest movements in New York and Washington, D.C.
The U.S. government aims to deport him, contending that his activism undermines foreign policy interests. However, Khalil highlighted his commitment to continue advocating for both Palestinian rights and the rights of immigrants who remain in detention facilities like the one where he was held in Louisiana. He accused the Trump administration of dehumanizing those who voice dissenting opinions.
In a poignant moment, Khalil, who celebrated the birth of his son while in detention, expressed his gratitude by holding flowers from supporters and shouted "free Palestine" as he addressed the audience. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who rallied alongside Khalil, asserted that his release indicates a legal defeat for the Trump administration in their deportation initiatives against activists advocating for Palestinian rights. Ocasio-Cortez referenced the ongoing case of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, who was released after weeks in detention for similarly critical views on Israel's policies.
A judge had ordered Khalil's release, determining he posed no flight risk or community threat as immigration proceedings unfold. In response, the Trump administration announced plans to appeal the decision, with White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson claiming, "There is no basis for a local federal judge in New Jersey - who lacks jurisdiction - to order Khalil's release from a detention facility in Louisiana." The administration asserts confidence in their position as they prepare for the appeal process.
