Mahmoud Khalil, a former student activist, is not backing down from his fight against the administration of President Donald Trump. He has taken a bold step by filing a claim seeking $20 million in damages for what he describes as wrongful detention.
According to court documents filed on Thursday, Khalil alleges that the Trump administration not only tarnished his reputation but also subjected him to malicious prosecution and unjust imprisonment. The lawsuit specifically names the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Department of State as defendants.
In an interview with The Associated Press (AP), Khalil expressed his determination to hold the Trump administration accountable for its actions. He stated, “They are abusing their power because they think they are untouchable. Unless they feel there is some sort of accountability, it will continue to go unchecked.”
This legal claim marks the initial step towards what could potentially escalate into a full-blown lawsuit under the Federal Tort Claims Act. As a prominent voice in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, Khalil aims not only to seek justice for himself but also to pave the way for other activists who have faced similar suppression of their freedom of speech.
Born in Damascus, Syria, to Palestinian parents, Khalil emerged as a leading figure advocating for Palestinian rights during Israel’s conflict with Gaza in October 2023. His activism gained global attention as Columbia University became a hub of student-led protests condemning Israeli actions in Gaza.
However, Khalil’s advocacy attracted unwanted attention from the Trump administration, which was focused on tightening immigration policies and quelling antiwar sentiments that it deemed anti-Semitic. Trump’s executive orders laid the groundwork for targeting foreign nationals with views perceived as detrimental to US interests.
Khalil became one of the primary targets under this crackdown when he was arrested amidst plain-clothed immigration officers at his university apartment complex in New York City, captured on video by his pregnant wife. Subsequently moved across states and detained at LaSalle Detention Center in Louisiana pending deportation proceedings.
Challenges were swiftly mounted against both Khalil’s detention and deportation through legal avenues like habeas corpus petitions. Despite being a lawful permanent resident married to a US citizen, Khalil found himself facing accusations without formal charges due to provisions allowing removal based on potential adverse foreign policy implications.
The Department of Homeland Security released statements branding Khalil as anti-Semitic and associating him with terrorist activities aligned with Hamas under Trump’s directives – accusations vehemently refuted by him and his legal team as violations of constitutional rights guaranteeing free speech.
Despite such challenges and propaganda aimed at discrediting him within political narratives surrounding national security concerns postulated by the administration during that period , judicial intervention eventually led to Khalil’s release ordered by a New Jersey judge on June 20th after enduring incarceration that caused him to miss witnessing his first child’s birth.
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