Mahmoud Khalil Files $20 Million Claim Against Trump Administration Following ICE Detention

NEW YORK (AP) – Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has officially filed a $20 million claim against the Trump administration, alleging false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and defamation during his recent detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The claim, a precursor to a federal lawsuit, was lodged on Thursday, July 10, naming the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and the State Department.

Khalil, a 30-year-old recent Columbia University graduate, was released on June 20 after 104 days in custody, when a federal judge found the government’s efforts to deport him on foreign policy grounds likely unconstitutional. He was arrested on March 8 and transferred to a Louisiana immigration jail, a move his lawyers contend was a deliberate attempt to conceal his location.

The activist, who has vocally condemned antisemitism, asserts he was targeted over his prominent role in campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. Despite not being accused of a crime or linked to any terror group, the Trump administration publicly celebrated his arrest, portraying his protests as “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, has dismissed Khalil’s claim as “absurd,” accusing him of “hateful behavior and rhetoric.” The White House deferred comment to the State Department, which maintained its actions were legally supported.

Khalil’s legal team also filed a motion late Wednesday, July 9, seeking to dismiss new allegations of misrepresenting personal details on his green card application, calling them baseless and retaliatory. Khalil stated his goal is to hold the administration accountable and aims to share any settlement money with others targeted for their pro-Palestinian speech.

Now reunited with his family, including his 10-week-old son Deen, Khalil remains committed to his activism. He led a march through Manhattan the day after his release, draped in a Palestinian flag, vowing to continue advocating against the war in Gaza.

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