'Shalom Mahmoud', White House says as pro-Palestine protester arrested
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Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure in the university’s protest movement against Israel’s war in Gaza, was arrested by immigration officials over the weekend.
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A community Affairs officer speaks to a protester as they demonstrate in support of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil outside Columbia University, Monday, March 10, 2025, in New York. (AP)
US President Donald Trump on Monday praised the detention of a leader of pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, calling it "the first arrest of many to come."
"We know there are more students at Columbia and other universities across the country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump administration will not tolerate it," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure in the university’s protest movement against the Israeli genocide in Gaza, was arrested by immigration officials over the weekend. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the arrest was carried out "in support of President Trump's executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State."
Khalil, a Columbia graduate, was a legal permanent resident at the time of his arrest, according to the Student Workers of Columbia union.
In his statement, Trump suggested that further action would be taken against other campus protesters, claiming—without providing evidence—that some were "paid agitators."
"We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country—never to return again," he wrote.
'Un-American' arrest
The arrest has drawn sharp criticism from civil rights advocates and international organizations. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) condemned the move as "unprecedented, illegal, and un-American."
"The government's actions are obviously intended to intimidate and chill speech on one side of a public debate," said Ben Wizner, director of the ACLU's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project.
The White House's official X account made a post that said, "SHALOM, MAHMOUD," before quoting Trump's statement on the arrest.
The United Nations weighed in, with a spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasizing "the importance of respecting the right of freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly everywhere."
Columbia University has been the battleground for threats and measures targeting pro-Palestine students who organized and shared in protests against "Israel's" genocide in Gaza, which "Israel" supporters have labelled as anti-semitic.
Disciplinary records requested
The US House Committee on Education and the Workforce demanded in February that Columbia University submit disciplinary records by the end of this month for students involved in anti-"Israel" protests between April and January 2024, criticizing the Ivy League institution’s handling of the matter.
The House panel sent a six-page letter to Columbia University’s leadership on February 13, stating that the institution had failed to fulfill its promise to students, faculty, and Congress to address "anti-Semitism," asserting that "Columbia’s ongoing failure to confront the widespread anti-Semitism on campus is unacceptable, especially given the university receives billions in federal funding."
The university's newly established Office of Institutional Equity launched multiple investigations to track down students who voiced their opposition to "Israel", according to the Associated Press.
Columbia sent notices to dozens of students for activities ranging from sharing pro-Palestinian social media posts to taking part in protests that the school considers "unauthorized," while the creation of the "disciplinary office" sparked concerns among students, faculty members, and free speech advocates who said Columbia caved in to Trump's pressure.
