Pro-Palestinian Activist Mahmoud Khalil Sues Columbia University Over Institutional Racism and Targeted Discrimination

Pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil, whom the authorities attempted to deport from the United States following his leadership in a 2024 encampment protest against Israel’s war on Gaza, has filed a lawsuit against Columbia University and a dean, citing “institutional racism” directed at Palestinian students. Recently, a federal judge ruled against his deportation, determining that the Trump administration infringed upon the constitutional rights of international students when it sought to penalize individuals like Khalil for their criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza.

The legal action is being pursued in partnership with the Palestine Working Group (PWG), a student organization at Columbia advocating for Palestinian rights whose activities were indefinitely suspended by the administration. Explaining the motivation behind the filing, Khalil stated, “We are suing because no student, regardless of their background, should go through the hell that Columbia put us through over all these years.” The lawsuit specifically names Columbia University and Keren Yarhi-Milo, dean of the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). Khalil further alleged that “Columbia laid the groundwork for my targeting by the Trump administration through its deliberate indifference and discrimination aimed at intimidating Palestinian students.” Columbia University has not yet issued a formal response to the litigation.

Who is Mahmoud Khalil?

Mahmoud Khalil is a Columbia University graduate and a prominent figure in the student movement against the war in Gaza during the 2024 campus protests in New York. These demonstrations subsequently spread across the United States and internationally, with protesters demanding an end to the conflict and calling for their universities to divest from companies connected to the Israeli military. Thousands of students faced arrest nationwide.

Khalil's activism resulted in his arrest in March 2025, a video of which circulated widely online, showing plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers taking him from his home in handcuffs for activities the authorities claimed were “aligned with Hamas.” His pregnant wife, a US citizen, recorded the footage. Despite holding a green card as a legal US resident, Khalil was detained for 104 days before his release in June 2025, causing him to miss the birth of his child.

Why has this lawsuit been filed?

Alongside the PWG, Khalil is requesting that the university lift their suspensions, pay damages to be determined at trial, prevent future discriminatory actions by the institution, and restore Khalil's campus access. The complaint targets Columbia University, its trustees, and SIPA dean Keren Yarhi-Milo, highlighting “deliberate indifference” and severe harassment directed at Khalil and PWG members due to their pro-Palestine advocacy and perceived shared ancestry as Arab or Muslim students.

According to the complaint, harassment against the PWG escalated significantly after October 7, incorporating doxxing and threats. Khalil remarked that the university's environment created severe emotional, psychological, professional, and reputational damages for those involved.

What happened during the campus protests?

Encampments at Columbia University began in April 2024, leading to numerous arrests and the eventual occupation of Hamilton Hall, which protesters renamed “Hind’s Hall” after five-year-old Hind Rajab. Khalil acted as a student negotiator during these events. Later, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa revocations for numerous students over their Palestine activism, and the Trump administration withheld federal funding from universities accused of failing to combat anti-Semitism. Columbia University subsequently paid $221m to settle claims in July 2025 and restore its funding.

What is happening now?

Legal battles regarding the deportation of Khalil and other activists continue. Following his release in June 2025, Khalil appealed his deportation order, leading to a September 2025 federal ruling that the Trump administration unlawfully targeted pro-Palestine activists. Although an appeals court panel dismissed Khalil's petition in January, his legal team announced plans to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court. Additionally, Khalil filed a lawsuit in July 2026 against Trump administration officials and pro-Israel groups, alleging a conspiracy to target him for his political stance.