Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student activist detained by US immigration officers earlier this month, has shared a letter from his detention centre, describing himself as a “political prisoner.”
Mahmoud Khalil, a recent graduate of Columbia University, was arrested after protesting in support of Palestinian rights, and he strongly believes that his detention was a direct consequence of his activism.
In the letter, dictated over the phone to his family from an ICE facility in Louisiana, Khalil condemned his treatment, which he sees as emblematic of broader political repression against Palestinian activists in the US. He described his arrest as part of a concerted effort by the US government to silence dissent and suppress political speech.
Khalil, who holds a green card, was arrested earlier this month by agents from Homeland Security without a warrant, despite his legal status. He recounted how he was accosted while walking home with his pregnant wife, handcuffed, and placed in an unmarked vehicle.
For hours, he was kept in the dark about the reason for his arrest. Khalil was then transported to multiple detention facilities in New York and New Jersey before being moved to a facility in Louisiana.
In his letter, Khalil expressed his frustration with the US legal system, highlighting the injustices faced by detainees. “Who has the right to have rights? It is certainly not the humans crowded into the cells here,” he wrote. He went on to describe the experiences of fellow detainees, including a Senegalese man held in limbo for a year and a young man facing deportation despite having been in the US since childhood.
Khalil also spoke out against the US administration’s stance on Palestine, stating that his arrest was part of a larger trend of anti-Palestinian racism perpetuated by both the Trump and Biden administrations.
He noted that the US government has continued to support Israel, despite its actions in Gaza, which he described as human rights violations. Khalil’s letter was released shortly after Israeli airstrikes resumed in Gaza, killing hundreds and breaking the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
The 30-year-old activist criticised the actions of Columbia University as well, accusing the institution of contributing to the targeting of students like himself. He referred to the university’s disciplinary measures against pro-Palestinian students and the school’s failure to protect them from online harassment and doxing campaigns.
In a particular instance, Khalil had been briefly suspended from the university in connection with protests last year, though he maintained that he had not participated in direct acts of civil disobedience to avoid jeopardising his visa status.
Khalil’s detention has sparked protests, including a demonstration at Columbia University and elsewhere, calling for his immediate release. His lawyers have filed a petition for his release, arguing that his arrest violates his constitutional right to free speech.
They are seeking to have him returned to New York to be with his wife, who is eight months pregnant, while the legal battle continues.
Despite his personal circumstances, Khalil remains defiant. He wrote in his letter, “I have always believed that my duty is not only to liberate myself from the oppressor but also to liberate my oppressors from their hatred and fear.” He framed his detention as an example of the lengths the US government will go to in order to suppress political activism, especially when it concerns Palestine.
The Trump administration has defended its actions, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating, “This administration is not going to tolerate individuals having the privilege of studying in our country and then siding with pro-terrorist organisations that have killed Americans.”
Khalil, however, remains resolute, warning that the case is part of a broader strategy to target those who speak out against US foreign policy. “Visa-holders, green-card carriers, and citizens alike will all be targeted for their political beliefs,” he warned.
The case of Mahmoud Khalil has raised concerns among civil rights activists, who argue that the US government is increasingly stifling political dissent, particularly for those advocating for Palestinian rights.
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