Protesters gathered outside US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters in Washington, DC, on Saturday, calling for the release of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil.
A recent Columbia University graduate and green card holder, Khalil played a significant role in organising campus protests last year.
The demonstration moved through the streets with chants such as “We want justice, you say how. Free Mahmoud Khalil now!” and “Free all the students today.”
Protesters also carried banners reading “Free Palestine,” “Release Mahmoud Khalil,” and “ICE off our campuses.”
Similar protests took place in New York City, with protesters marching from Times Square to Columbus Circle.
Organisers condemned Khalil’s detention, asserting that his right to protest is safeguarded by the First Amendment.
One protester remarked, “Attacks on Mahmoud Khalil are not attacks on one individual; they are an attack on everyone who dares to stand up and speak for justice.”
Khalil, who was arrested on March 8 at his university-owned apartment, is being held at an ICE detention center in Louisiana.
The arrest followed a decision by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revoke his student visa and green card, citing his involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University last year.
While the Trump administration has accused Khalil of aligning with Hamas, no evidence has been presented.
President Donald Trump defended the detention, calling it the “first of many” actions aimed at cracking down on individuals involved in protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, which have led to over 48,500 Palestinian deaths since October 2023.
Rubio also mentioned that more student visas would be revoked in the coming days.
A video released by Khalil’s attorneys shows his arrest, capturing the moment federal agents took him into custody as his wife, Noor Abdalla, pleaded for information.
Abdalla, eight months pregnant and a US citizen, demanded the agents identify themselves, but one responded, “We don’t give our names.”
Khalil’s attorneys argue his arrest is politically motivated and part of a broader effort to suppress pro-Palestinian activism.
