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Mahmoud is a U.S. lawful permanent resident who was arrested and detained by immigration authorities for exercising his freedom of speech in support of Palestinian rights and against the ongoing genocide in the occupied Gaza Strip. Sign the petition and demand that the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security release him immediately. 

On March 8, Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student activist and recent graduate student at Columbia University, and his 8-month pregnant wife were walking home from an Iftar celebration when they were stopped by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents. Mahmoud was unlawfully arrested and detained.  

Mahmoud was targeted for his role in student protests at Columbia University, where he was exercising his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, protesting in support of Palestinian rights and against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. 

He has not been charged with a crime. He is being held in a detention centre and authorities have informed him that they have “revoked” his permanent residency status and placed him in deportation proceedings. 

No one should be ripped away from their family and sent to detention just for exercising their right to protest, and no one should be deported for speaking out for human rights. 

Mr. Khalil’s arrest and ongoing arbitrary detention are the latest attacks on human rights by the Trump administration. The rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are human rights, not grounds for deportation. 

Targeting peaceful protesters and threatening their immigration status for the content of their protest, such as advocating for the human rights of Palestinians, is a violation of human rights.  

Sign the petition and demand U.S. authorities release Mahmoud immediately and respect his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. 


Sign the Petition

  Our Petition
 
 

Secretary Kristi Noem, Department of Homeland Security   
300 7th St SW
Washington DC 20024   
United States 

 

Dear Secretary Noem,  

On March 8, Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student activist and recent graduate student at Columbia University, and his 8-month pregnant wife were walking home from an Iftar celebration when they were stopped by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents. Mahmoud was unlawfully arrested and detained. 

Mr. Khalil is a legal permanent resident and was informed by federal officials that his immigration paperwork was being revoked. Mahmoud Khalil has not been charged with a crime. He was actively involved in the protests and encampments at Columbia University in support of Palestinian rights and against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. 

No one should be ripped away from their family and sent to detention just for exercising their right to protest, and no one should be deported for speaking out for human rights.   

Mr. Khalil’s arrest and ongoing arbitrary detention are the latest attacks on human rights by the Trump administration. The rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are human rights, not grounds for deportation.    

Mahmoud Khalil should be released immediately. I implore you to rescind your order revoking his lawful permanent residency status and leverage your power to ensure that the Trump administration respect Mr. Khalil’s human rights, including his right to due process, and free him from ICE custody so he can return to his home in New York with his family. 

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]