Columbia University has warned its foreign journalism students to be cautious when discussing Israel’s war on Gaza, fearing legal repercussions, according to the New York Times. The warning comes just days after US authorities arrested former Columbia student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil.
During a private meeting last week, adjunct professor and First Amendment lawyer Stuart Karle advised international students to avoid making public statements on the conflict. “If you have a social media page, make sure it is not filled with commentary on the Middle East,” he reportedly cautioned.
The school’s dean, Jelani Cobb, reinforced these concerns after a Palestinian student raised objections, reportedly telling the group, “Nobody can protect you. These are dangerous times.”
The warning follows mounting pressure from the Trump administration on Columbia University, including a crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism that led to Khalil’s arrest.
Khalil was detained by ICE agents on March 8 at his university-owned apartment after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the revocation of his student visa and Green Card. The Trump administration has accused him of engaging in “activities aligned with Hamas,” though no evidence has been presented. Khalil remains in custody at an ICE detention centre in Louisiana.
President Donald Trump has defended the move, describing Khalil’s detention as “the first of many” in his administration’s crackdown on anti-Israel protests. Since October 2023, over 48,500 Palestinians, mostly civilian women and children, have been killed by Israeli onslaught in Gaza.
On Friday, Khalil’s attorneys released footage of his arrest, showing him calmly complying with officers while his wife, Noor Abdalla, an American citizen who is eight months pregnant, demands information about his whereabouts. One agent is heard responding, “We don’t give our names.”
Khalil’s legal team argues that his detention is politically motivated, punishing him for “exercising his First Amendment rights” and speaking in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
