Mahmoud Khalil, detained last year for leading Columbia protests, alleges a conspiracy to suppress Palestinian advocacy through coordinated government and private action.
7:22 PM
Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and former Columbia University graduate student, filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Trump administration officials and several pro-Israel groups, alleging they conspired to target him and suppress criticism of Israel.
Khalil was arrested in March 2025 while leading protests at Columbia. A lawful permanent resident at the time, he spent more than 100 days in jail and was not permitted release for the birth of his son. The Trump administration has separately pursued efforts to deport him, a case he continues to contest in court.
The lawsuit, filed by the Center for Constitutional Rights on Khalil's behalf, names the Trump administration and two pro-Israel online surveillance groups: Betar and Canary Mission. According to the complaint, the administration coordinated with these groups to target Palestinian supporters. Khalil's lawyers argue the alleged coordination would violate federal laws restricting government partnerships with vigilante groups.
"This case is about far more than what was done to me. It's about a coordinated, ongoing campaign to punish silence and intimidate anyone who dares to speak out for Palestinian liberation," Khalil said at a news conference in New York on Tuesday.
The lawsuit alleges the groups worked together to "criminalize solidarity with Palestine" through coordinated surveillance and legal action. Khalil became a prominent figure in the Trump administration's response to pro-Palestine activism on college campuses following his detention last year.
The case centers on whether the federal government unlawfully coordinated with private organizations to suppress speech protected under the First Amendment. Khalil's legal team contends that the conspiracy targeted him specifically because of his advocacy for Palestinian rights and his role organizing demonstrations at Columbia.
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