DayofPal– President Donald Trump has hailed the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University alumnus, promising further action against anti-genocide student protesters.
Calling Khalil’s detention the “first of many to come,” Trump reiterated his administration’s intent to silence the opposing voices on American campuses.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump labeled Khalil a “Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student” and vowed to pursue, arrest, and deport protesters whom he accused of being “terrorist sympathizers.”
The president’s remarks come amid an intensifying crackdown on university demonstrations calling for an end to U.S. support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Khalil, who attended Columbia University on a student visa, played a leading role in last spring’s pro-Palestinian encampment, negotiating with university officials and speaking to the press about protesters’ demands.
Although he graduated in December, Columbia had previously accused him of misconduct based on what supporters say were fabricated social media posts.
Despite being a legal permanent resident, Khalil was informed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents that his student visa had been revoked. He was then detained and deported to the Jena/LaSalle Detention Facility in Louisiana.
His pregnant wife, now eight months along, has reportedly received little information about his status or whereabouts.
Trump has denounced the ongoing anti-genocide protests at Columbia and other universities, calling them “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, and anti-American activities.” He has also accused many student demonstrators of being paid agitators rather than genuine activists.
Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, condemned Khalil’s arrest as a violation of free speech and demanded his immediate release.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is escalating its crackdown, announcing plans to revoke student visas for those it deems “Hamas sympathizers.” Officials say they will employ artificial intelligence to scrutinize visa holders’ social media activity.
Trump has also threatened to cut federal funding to universities that permit anti-genocide demonstrations further tightening the noose on pro-Palestine campus activism.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced the administration’s stance, declaring that the U.S. has “zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support [Hamas].”
As protests continue to gain momentum nationwide, Khalil’s arrest signals a broader effort to stifle student-led activism, a move critics argue is a direct assault on free expression and democratic dissent.
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