Palestinian Activist Files $20 Million Lawsuit Against U.S. Government
BROOKLYN – Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has launched a $20 million lawsuit against the U.S. government, alleging false arrest and unlawful imprisonment after spending 104 days in immigration detention. This prolonged confinement prevented him from being present for the birth of his first child.
Khalil was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on March 9, 2025, while he was in the lobby of his apartment. He was subsequently transferred to an ICE detention center in Louisiana, where he remained for more than three months. His release came only after a federal judge ruled his detention unconstitutional.
In a detailed 32-page complaint, Khalil contends that authorities did not follow standard arrest and detention protocols. He argues that rather than adhering to formal procedures, federal agents colluded to misuse immigration regulations to facilitate his arrest, consequently sending a distressing message to noncitizens engaged in advocacy for Palestinian rights.
The 31-year-old activist filed this lawsuit after ICE dismissed an administrative complaint he lodged last July. Khalil’s allegations also name high-ranking U.S. officials, including Deputy Secretary of State for Policy Stephen Miller and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He accuses them of conspiring with conservative and Zionist organizations, such as the Heritage Foundation, Betar, and the Canary Mission, to systematically target noncitizen pro-Palestinian activists on U.S. campuses.
Khalil has been an outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights during his time as a student at Columbia University. He served as the lead negotiator in a significant protest that occurred in April 2024, which resulted in confrontations with New York City police. Originally from Syria and a U.S. permanent resident, Khalil’s advocacy has now led to his prosecution under immigration law, particularly as he was the first of several international students arrested for condemning Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which are heavily funded by U.S. aid.
His lawsuit highlights what he describes as the government’s efforts to weaponize immigration laws against critics of its foreign policy. Khalil asserts that U.S. officials labeled him a terrorist supporter and anti-Semite, subjecting him to a fraudulent immigration process that forcibly separated him from his newborn during a critical early period of parenthood.
In a statement accompanying his lawsuit, Khalil, represented by attorney Sama Sisay from the Center for Constitutional Rights, calls for accountability regarding the misuse of power and political retaliation. He emphasizes that U.S. government actions not only finance Israel’s military operations but also utilize the immigration system as a tool to silence dissent against its policies.
A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security has not yet responded to inquiries about the matter. Khalil’s case shines a light on the intersection of immigration law, political expression, and advocacy for human rights, raising significant questions about governmental overreach and the treatment of activists in the United States.
