Mahmoud Khalil Files $20M Claim Against U.S. Government \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil filed a $20 million claim against the U.S. government, alleging false imprisonment and retaliation for his activism. His case, tied to campus protests and pro-Palestinian speech, has drawn national attention. Khalil says his mistreatment symbolizes broader suppression of dissent under Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Quick Looks
- Khalil seeks $20 million from DHS, ICE, State Department
- Claims false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and defamation
- Detained for over 100 days while his son was born
- Arrest tied to role in pro-Palestinian campus protests
- Accused of no crime; feds cited “foreign policy” threats
- DHS called the claim “absurd,” accused him of “hateful rhetoric”
- Detained in harsh Louisiana immigration facility with inadequate care
- Trump administration celebrated arrest as part of anti-protest effort
- Now free, Khalil vows to continue advocacy and seek justice
- Marches, speaks out against Israel’s actions in Gaza
Deep Look
In a quiet Manhattan apartment, Mahmoud Khalil cradled his newborn son as he recalled the unbearable silence of a freezing immigration detention cell, miles away in Louisiana. While his wife gave birth in New York, he paced inside the jail, fearing he would miss the moment forever. Now free after 104 days in custody, Khalil is fighting back.
The 30-year-old Palestinian American activist, a recent graduate of Columbia University, has filed a $20 million federal damages claim against the Trump administration, alleging wrongful detention, malicious prosecution, and a coordinated smear campaign meant to silence his pro-Palestinian activism.
Filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act, the legal action targets the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the State Department—accusing them of abusing their authority in retaliation for Khalil’s outspoken views.
Arrest Without Warning
On March 8, Khalil said he was returning home from dinner with his wife when plainclothes federal agents stopped him without a warrant. Despite being a legal permanent resident, he claims he was effectively kidnapped and flown overnight to a remote immigration facility in Jena, Louisiana—a location deliberately kept secret from his family and attorneys.
There, he said, he was denied ulcer medication, given inedible food, and kept under harsh fluorescent lights. “I cannot describe the pain of that night,” he recalled, as he held his infant son, Deen, born during his detention.
Over the next few weeks, he lost 15 pounds and rarely slept. “I never went to bed not hungry,” Khalil said. “This is something I will never forgive.”
Targeted for Beliefs, Not Crimes
While the government never filed criminal charges, Khalil’s detention drew public attention due to his prominent role in campus protests criticizing U.S. support for Israel amid the war in Gaza. The Trump administration, in statements and press releases, painted him and others as part of a wave of “pro-terrorist, antisemitic, anti-American activity.”
Khalil has repeatedly denounced antisemitism. “At some point, it becomes like reality TV,” he said of the accusations. “It’s very absurd.”
A memo later signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged Khalil had not broken the law, but argued his beliefs could undermine U.S. foreign policy—thus justifying deportation.
“My beliefs are that our tax dollars shouldn’t go to funding genocide,” Khalil said. “It’s as simple as that.”
From Detainee to Legal Advocate
Inside the 1,200-inmate detention center, Khalil became an unofficial legal adviser, hosting “office hours” to help fellow detainees navigate immigration paperwork, find translators, and understand their rights.
He drew on his experience working at a British embassy in Beirut, and spent nights sharing stories, playing card games, and listening to harrowing accounts from migrants detained with little explanation or access to counsel.
“This was one of the most heartbreaking parts,” he said. “People on the inside don’t even know if they have any rights.”
Legal Vindication and Lingering Fear
On June 20, a federal judge ordered Khalil’s release, ruling that the government’s attempt to deport him based solely on political beliefs was likely unconstitutional. However, Khalil now faces a new hurdle: an immigration charge claiming he misrepresented facts on his green card application—a claim his attorneys call “retaliatory” and “baseless.”
In court filings submitted Wednesday, his legal team asked a judge to dismiss the charges, warning they amount to political persecution.
Since his release, Khalil says life has been a mix of joy and lingering anxiety. “I leave the house less. I avoid large gatherings. I avoid walking alone at night,” he said.
Still, he lit up remembering his baby son’s first swim. “It was not very pleasant for him,” he smiled, “but it was something.”
Continuing Advocacy Despite the Cost
Khalil hasn’t stepped back from activism. On the day after his release, he led a march through Manhattan, draped in a Palestinian flag and flanked by private security. He says he won’t stop until voices like his are heard—and respected.
As for the lawsuit, Khalil says he’d accept an apology and policy reforms in lieu of financial compensation. But if money is awarded, he intends to share it with other activists targeted under what he calls Trump’s “failed effort” to suppress dissent.
“They are abusing their power because they think they’re untouchable,” Khalil said. “Unless there’s accountability, it will go unchecked.”
He reflected on whether, knowing what would happen, he would have changed anything.
“We could have built more bridges,” he admitted. “But standing against genocide—there’s no moral way to back down from that.”
Mahmoud Khalil Files
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