Khalil was arrested by ICE last Saturday and is being held without any criminal charges.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Students at campuses across North Texas gathered to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a former student at Columbia University and a lawful U.S. resident, who was arrested by ICE with no criminal charges.
The Associated Press reported that Khalil was detained Saturday and flown to an immigration jail in Louisiana. Khalil had helped lead protests in support of Palestine in the war in Gaza. President Donald Trump warned on Monday that his arrest and possible deportation would be the first “of many to come” as they crack down on campus demonstrations.
Khalil’s arrest has drawn outrage from free speech advocates and civil rights groups across the country as his possible deportation is being challenged in court by his lawyers.
In a statement released by North Texas students protesting, they call Mahmoud’s arrest an illegal abduction and an attack on pro-Palestinian activism. Students from UT-Dallas, UT-Arlington and the University of North Texas all gathered on Thursday evening.
Students at UT-Dallas gathered at Chess Plaza, which some students have informally dubbed “Gaza Liberation Plaza.”
“The Gaza Liberation Plaza is a place of significance as it is the place last spring where UTD students protested to demand their university divest from corporations complicit in genocide in Gaza, inspired by similar actions taken at Columbia University and universities globally,” the statement reads.
The group said in the statement that they recognize these efforts by the U.S. as a response to their success in igniting global consciousness for Palestine.
“Today, the students of UTD, UNT, and UTA, and the wider community have one clear message for the DHS and university administrations everywhere: Free Mahmoud Khalil from illegal persecution and deportation. Protect your students and don’t cower to repressive measures to secure your funding,” the statement concludes.
