On Saturday, March 8, Columbia alum and activist Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This is a developing story.

On Saturday evening, Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia graduate and “prominent Palestinian activist” was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE agents reportedly entered Khalil’s home in plain clothes and arrested him, claiming that his student visa had been revoked by the State Department. The arrest comes on the heels of the Trump administration’s commitment to deport international students and arrest “agitators” involved in protests related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Khalil was a prominent face of the Gaza Solidarity Encampments last year and was largely known for being a key negotiator between students and the University. According to Khalil’s lawyer, Amy Greer, ICE agents entered his Columbia-owned apartment, where he was living with his eight months-month pregnant wife. They then arrested him under the pretense of a revoked student visa. Kalil told the agents that he had a green card as well, which he was told had also been revoked. Agents then told Kalil that he would be detained. The New York Times reported that Greer does not know of Khalil’s “precise whereabouts,” and that he may be detained as far as Louisiana.

A few hours before his arrest, Khalil told Reuters he was concerned he was being targeted by the government for speaking to the media.

Over the past several days, reports of ICE presence around the Columbia campus have increased, with the University claiming that it “has and will continue to follow the law.” However, they assure students that a judicial warrant is necessary for ICE to enter campus and buildings. Bwog has reached out to Columbia Communications for comment on ICE policies and Khalil, in which they directed Bwog to two university ICE statements. 

The Trump administration has emphasized their goal to “crack down” on campus protests by deporting and arresting student demonstrators. Secretary of State Marco Rubio tweeted, “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported” in response to Khalil’s detainment. 

Khalil’s detention comes only days after the Trump administration cancelled $400 million in federal funding to the University, citing a failure to protect Jewish students from antisemitism amid pro-Palestine protests. In a Friday night email sent to the campus community, Interim President Katrina Armstrong said that Columbia is “committed to working with the federal government to address their legitimate concerns,” and was working to “evaluate the order to understand [its] potential impacts to our community.”

The University has not responded directly to Khalil’s detention or Trump’s call for the deportation of student protesters. However, Columbia Public Safety released a message outlining “protocol for potential visits to campus by [ICE],” which was then reemphasized by the Columbia College and Columbia Engineering Student Councils. The statement notes that ICE cannot get into “non-public” areas without a warrant, and gives a list of actions to take if this is done. These actions involve asking for both credentials and a warrant, as well as notifying and waiting for public safety before taking any action.   

Undergraduate student senators in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Columbia College sent resources to the community, including resources on how to interact with ICE officers and a Google form for students to detail their experiences with ICE. Further, they announced the Student Affairs Committee of the University Senate will be hosting a town hall, adding “We keep each other safe.”

Update made on March 10 at 11:30 am: Department of Homeland Security statement and email to Barnard Community

At 9:29 pm last night, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted on X that Khalil was arrested “in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism” and “in coordination with the Department of State.” DHS claimed “Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.”

According to ICE records, Khalil is currently being held in the Jena/LaSalle Detention Facility in Louisiana.

At 8:41 am this morning, the Barnard community received an email from Executive Vice President Kelli Murray with information about campus access and resources for non-US citizen community members. Along with confirming that Barnard campus remains at Level B access and repeating Columbia Public Safety’s notice that all Columbia gates besides Wein and 116th and Broadway/Amsterdam are closed, Murray stated that “Barnard’s campus, including health facilities and residence halls, are private property and may not be accessed by US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without a judicial warrant.” The email also provided a link to resources on individual rights.

Email from Barnard Executive Vice President for Strategy and Chief Administrative Officer Kelli A. Murray to the Barnard community on Monday, March 10 at 8:41 am:

Dear Members of the Barnard Community,

Please see below for information about campus access and resources for non-US citizen members of our community.

Campus Access:

Campus access remains at Level B. 

  • Campus Entry and Exit: Access to Barnard remains limited to the main gate on West 117th Street. All other campus entrances will be closed for entry and exit, except in case of emergency.  Those with ADA accessibility needs who have been previously authorized to use the West 119th Street and Broadway entrance to access the north end of campus should contact dispatch at 212-854-6666 to ensure that someone will be at the gate to meet them to facilitate entry.
  • Access to campus will be limited to the following groups who present valid IDs:
    • Anyone with a valid Barnard College or Columbia ID;
    • Columbia faculty and staff with valid IDs;
    • Guests on the preapproved guest list. The Workday guest list is now available for registration of guests.
  • Unmasking Requests: In order to check IDs, anyone wearing face coverings will be asked to temporarily remove them unless the covering is included in their Barnard or Columbia ID photo.  Anyone who refuses to comply with this request will not be permitted on campus or will be asked to leave.
  • Potential Bag Searches: Anyone entering campus may be asked to display the contents of their backpacks, purses, luggage, or other bags.  Anyone who refuses to share the contents of their bags will not be permitted on campus.  Those already on campus may also be asked to open and share the contents of their bags.

Columbia Campus Access:

Beginning March 10, available gates for CUID holders to enter the Morningside campus will be limited to the north College Walk pedestrian gates at Broadway & 116th and Amsterdam & 116th, and the Wien Gate on 116th between Amsterdam and Morningside Drive. In addition, CUID holders can enter campus at the Northwest Corner Building at 120th Street and Broadway during regular building hours. All other campus gates will be closed.

Please plan accordingly for anticipated longer than normal waits at campus entrances. In addition, be aware of additional Columbia Public Safety guards at the gates and campus perimeter. Visit the Columbia University Public Safety website for the latest campus access information.

Further Access Notes:

As a reminder, Barnard’s campus, including health facilities and residence halls, are private property and may not be accessed by US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without a judicial warrant. Any requests for law enforcement to access campus must be referred to the Office of General Counsel. No other Barnard employees can authorize ICE to enter campus. Anyone who believes they see an ICE officer attempting to enter campus (e.g. perimeter residence halls, main gate) should contact CARES at 212-854-6666.

It is vital that all members of our community continue to identify themselves and tap at the main gate for entry. Linked here is information on individual rights in the context of immigration enforcement attempts.

We will continue to share any general updates to campus access via email as needed, and information about our campus access levels can always be found on the Campus Access section of Barnard’s website.

Sincerely,

Kelli A. Murray

Executive Vice President for Strategy and Chief Administrative Officer

Update made on March 10 at 9:15 pm: Federal judge blocks removal of Khalil, email communications from President Armstrong and Student Senators

On Monday, a federal judge blocked Mahmoud Khalil’s removal from the United States. According to Judge Jesse Furman, the block remains in effect “until the Court orders otherwise,” and as a petition challenging his arrest is considered.

Earlier, President Trump referred to Khalil as a “Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student,” writing on Truth Social that his arrest was the “first arrest of many.” Several civil rights groups have called for Khalil’s release, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Interim President Katrina Armstrong also addressed the Columbia community today in an email reiterating Columbia’s mission of “freedom of expression, open inquiry, a wide range of perspectives, and respectful debate.” She continued, stating “These are Columbia’s values, they are America’s values, they are essential to a functioning democracy, and we will fight for them. We do this for our students and for our future.”

Further, she dispelled any rumors suggesting Columbia leadership requested the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) around campus and that “law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including residential University buildings.” However, she did not address Khalil’s current status.

Email from Interim President President Katrina Armstrong to the Columbia community at 4:09 pm on Monday, March 10:

Dear Columbia Community,

I write to you at a challenging moment for our community. Columbia University exists to serve the United States and the world, by teaching, creating, and advancing knowledge. We pursue that mission through freedom of expression, open inquiry, a wide range of perspectives, and respectful debate. These are Columbia’s values, they are America’s values, they are essential to a functioning democracy, and we will fight for them. We do this for our students and for our future.

Here is what that means in this particular moment:

  • We will work tirelessly to fulfill our mission. We are taking a methodical and thoughtful approach to addressing the multitude of challenges ahead of us. We are engaged with several federal agencies and are doing all we can to be responsive to their legitimate concerns and to take corrective action, under the law, to restore funding.
  • We will support our community. I understand the distress that many of you are feeling about the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the streets around campus. I feel it too and am working with our team to manage the response. Resources for students are listed below.
  • We will follow the law, as has always been the case, and rumors suggesting that any member of Columbia leadership requested the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on or near campus are false. It remains the long-standing practice of the University, and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, that law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including residential University buildings.
  • We are deeply committed to freedom of speech as a fundamental value that we must uphold as a community—citizens and non-citizens alike. Vigorous and open debate, consistent with our rules, is central to achieving our academic mission. We must welcome the widest possible range of ideas, perspectives, and life experiences from all members of our community whether American or International. Our mission at Columbia also requires that we treat one another with respect, which enables us to disagree without being disagreeable. We need to do so in an environment free from discrimination.

I am proud of Columbia’s unwavering commitment to excellence, and our historic and ongoing contributions to the United States and the world, from technology, to medicine, to the humanities, to the laws underpinning our democracy itself. I ask for your continued support and patience. The only way to navigate this moment is together, as a united community.

All eyes are on Columbia at present. It falls to us to ensure our University, and indeed the values of higher education more broadly, survive and thrive.

Sincerely,

Katrina Armstrong
Interim President, Columbia University in the City of New York

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Additional Student Resources

Email from SEAS Undergraduate Senator Jalaj Mehta to the SEAS Undergraduate Community on Sunday, March 9 at 8:52 pm:

“Good Evening,

In light of recent events regarding ICE’s presence on and around campus, I want to share the University’s available resources with you. Please review this Public Safety site and this statement from the Office of Public Affairs detailing how to handle interactions with officers you may encounter. The information is also listed at the bottom of this email. Please also review this know your rights page. 

We are actively gathering information and working with administrators and deans to try and address the situation. If you have any questions or concerns or have experienced interactions with ICE, please fill this form out and/or contact me or any member of the CCSC or ESC e-board. Additionally, the Student Affairs Committee of the University Senate will be hosting a town hall next week to field questions and feedback.

 We keep each other safe. Please reach out if you need anything. 

Stay safe,

Jalaj Mehta 

SEAS Undergraduate Senator”

Email from CC Undergraduate Senator Wena Teng to the Columbia College Undergraduate Community on Sunday, March 9 at 8:27 pm:

“Dear Columbia College Community

In light of recent events regarding ICE’s presence on and around campus, I want to share the University’s available resources with you. Please review this Public Safety site and this statement from the Office of Public Affairs detailing how to handle interactions with officers you may encounter. 

“In general, ICE agents must have a judicial warrant or subpoena to access non-public areas (areas not open to the public such as classrooms, housing, and areas requiring CUID).”

In the case of ICE agents [asking] to enter non-public areas of the University or approach for information about another individual:

  • Ask for credentials. In a professional and courteous manner, ask for i) the agents’ credentials (full name, agency/organization, badge number, etc.); ii) a business card; and iii) any legal documents (warrant, subpoena, etc.).
  • Ask them to wait. Ask the agents to wait to enter any non-public areas until contacting Public Safety at the numbers below. Public Safety will contact the Office of the General Counsel and will help coordinate the University’s response.
  • It is preferable for faculty/staff to first call Public Safety directly. If this is not possible based on the circumstances, faculty/staff may connect an ICE agent directly to Public Safety.
  • Do not accept service of a warrant or subpoena. 

“In response to questions or the attempted service of a warrant or subpoena, you can say: “I am not authorized by the University to grant permission to enter non-public areas, provide information about individual students or employees, or accept service of documentation on behalf of the University,” then refer the agents to Public Safety and the Office of the General Counsel.”

If you observe ICE agents conducting enforcement activities on campus:

  • Immediately contact Public Safety. 
  • Morningside: 212-854-5555 
  • Manhattanville: 212-853-3333 
  • Medical Center: 212-305-7979

Please also review this Know Your Rights page. We are actively gathering information and working with students and the administration to try and address the situation. Regardless of political speech, all students should feel safe in our dorms, classrooms, and campus, If you have any questions or concerns or have experienced interactions with ICE, please fill this form out and/or contact me or any member of the CCSC or ESC e-board. Additionally, the Student Affairs Committee of the University Senate will be hosting a town hall next week to field questions and feedback.

We keep each other safe. Please reach out if you need anything. 

Warmly,

Wena Teng

CC University Senator”

This is a developing story. Bwog will continue to provide updates as new information emerges.

Staff Writer Eira Prakash and Bwog Editors contributed to this report.

Columbia via Bwog Archives