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Mahmoud Khalil sues Columbia over alleged treatment of pro-Palestinian activists
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Sep 14, 2026
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Adam Gray/Getty Images
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Sep 14, 2026
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Mahmoud Khalil, the former Columbia University graduate student who spent months detained by immigration officials last year, filed a federal lawsuit against the university on Monday over its alleged treatment of pro-Palestinian activists.
The lawsuit is the latest legal action by Khalil since his detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March 2025.
Khalil previously filed a federal lawsuit against officials in the Trump administration and several pro-Israel groups, accusing them of conspiring to suppress his constitutional rights.
In the latest complaint, Khalil, former Columbia student Mohammad Ibrahim Zubairi and the SIPA Palestine Working Group allege that the university showed “deliberate indifference towards and failure to respond to instances of severe, persistent, and coordinated harassment” against pro-Palestinian student activists.
The suit alleges the university’s actions “enabled the coordinated, persistent doxxing” of activists and “directly led” to Khalil’s detention by ICE.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages and other relief, alleging Columbia violated federal civil rights law and breached its obligations to students by failing to protect them from discrimination and harassment.
Columbia declined to comment on the pending litigation.
“Creating a campus environment where every member of our community feels welcome, supported, and safe is fundamental to who we are as a University,” spokesperson Samantha Slater said in a statement. “It is also a responsibility we take seriously. Columbia is committed to protecting our community from discrimination and harassment, and responding promptly and appropriately when concerns arise.”
Khalil, a Syrian-born Algerian citizen of Palestinian descent, is also involved in ongoing litigation over the Trump administration's efforts to deport him. His lawyers have said they plan to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review an appeals court ruling in that case.
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education
new york city
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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