Palestinian Activist Mahmoud Khalil Files Civil-Rights Lawsuit Against U.S. Government and Pro-Israel Groups

A former Columbia University student leader has filed a 138‑page civil‑rights complaint, accusing the federal government and a coalition of pro‑Israel advocacy groups of conspiring to detain and deport him under the KKK Act. Khalil, a permanent U.S. green‑card holder, says the state’s actions were politically motivated, aimed at silencing pro‑Palestinian activism.

The lawsuit names the U.S. State Department, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and private organizations such as the Heritage Foundation, Betar, and Canary Mission. According to the complaint, these entities formed a “network” that targeted Palestinian activists for arrest, detention, and deportation. The conspiracy, the plaintiffs argue, began shortly after the 2024 presidential election. Betar allegedly compiled a list of activists and shared it with Trump‑era officials, while the Heritage Foundation’s Project Esther, released in October 2024, is portrayed as a “blueprint” the government used to justify the removal of non‑citizen advocates. The document claims the project was intended to “smear, arrest, detain, and deport non‑citizen advocates” and that DHS adopted it to suppress what it described as “Hamas‑supporting disruptions” on college campuses.

Khalil’s legal team points to several senior officials, including presidential adviser Stephen Miller, former Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other unnamed federal officers. He contends that his detention was not based on any criminal investigation but was a retributive, unconstitutional exercise of power designed to silence his pro‑Palestinian protests. His arrest began in March 2025 when ICE moved to deport him after his participation in pro‑Palestine demonstrations at Columbia in 2024. The Trump administration had earlier accused him of promoting terrorism and supporting Hamas, the group responsible for the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. A federal appellate court later reversed a lower court’s order that had released Khalil from detention, prompting the current lawsuit.

The complaint also cites the landmark American Association of University Professors v. Rubio case, in which a professors’ union challenged the Trump administration’s use of immigration enforcement to target students and faculty engaged in pro‑Palestinian advocacy. Testimony from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officials in that case, the lawsuit says, showed DHS coordinating with Betar and Canary Mission to identify student protesters. Evidence uncovered during the AAUP trial, including HSI surveillance records and communications, is presented as proof that the White House had a special interest in monitoring Khalil and other activists, “not because of any criminal or civil investigation.” A March 7 X post by the Project Esther Taskforce praising the revocation of a student’s visa for alleged ties to “Hamas‑supporting disruptions” is also cited.

In response, a DHS spokesperson stated that the administration acted within its statutory and constitutional authority, claiming Khalil had “advocated for violence and supported terrorists.” The spokesperson urged Khalil to use the CBP Home app and “self‑deport” before further action. The White House, through spokesperson Abigail Jackson, reiterated that the executive branch has lawful authority to protect the public and maintain the integrity of the immigration system.

Khalil’s attorneys, including Astha Sharma Pokharel of the Center for Constitutional Rights, seek damages for unlawful detention, a court order declaring the arrest retributive, and an injunction preventing the government from relying on the alleged network. They also note that the lawsuit was filed while the legal team prepares to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to review his deportation case. If the court finds the allegations credible, it could compel the federal government to halt the use of private advocacy groups in immigration enforcement and potentially award Khalil damages for the period of detention.

At present, Khalil remains in detention while his case moves through the federal court system. The outcome of the lawsuit and any subsequent Supreme Court review will determine whether the government’s actions in his case were lawful or constituted a violation of civil‑rights protections.