Mahmoud Khalil sues Columbia University

Mahmoud Khalil and other pro-Palestinian student activists sued Columbia University on Monday, accusing the Ivy League school of being deliberately indifferent to years of pervasive harassment because of their advocacy.



Khalil became a face of the Trump administration crackdown on students' pro-Palestinian protests after U.S. immigration agents arrested him in March 2025 in the lobby of his university residence, though he was a lawful permanent resident — or green card holder — and not accused of a crime.



The complaint filed in Manhattan federal court by Khalil, the SIPA Palestine Working Group and its president, Mohammad Zubairi, said Columbia violated federal civil rights law through its failure to protect students from threats, doxxing and other harassment based on their perceived Arab or Muslim ancestry, or their advocacy for Palestinian rights.



The war in Gaza still sparks fierce debate at schools including Columbia, where the central pedestrian walkway across campus has been closed for nearly three years as the university tries to balance safety concerns against the desire for greater normalcy and openness.