Key facts
- Mahmoud Khalil is suing Columbia University, alleging a history of anti-Palestinian discrimination and indifference to harassment.
- Khalil, a Palestinian-descent graduate student, was detained by federal immigration agents in March 2025 due to his pro-Palestinian advocacy.
- The lawsuit accuses Columbia University, its board, and Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo of deliberate indifference and failure to address harassment against Khalil and other students.
- Khalil claims Columbia's actions facilitated his targeting by the Trump administration.
- Columbia University suspended SIPA's Palestine Working Group in May 2025, a suspension that remains in effect.
- Khalil previously sued the Trump administration and pro-Israel groups, alleging a conspiracy to punish him for his advocacy.
Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian-descent graduate student at Columbia University, has filed a lawsuit accusing the institution of a years-long pattern of anti-Palestinian discrimination, indifference to harassment, and retaliation. The suit, filed in the southern district of New York, also names the university's board and the dean of its School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Keren Yarhi-Milo.
Khalil alleges that Columbia's actions created an environment that led to his detention by federal immigration agents in March 2025. He was arrested at his university apartment as part of the Trump administration's efforts to detain and deport foreign nationals for pro-Palestinian advocacy. Khalil, who missed the birth of his son while detained, was released in June 2025 but is continuing to fight deportation.
The lawsuit claims that Columbia University demonstrated "deliberate indifference" and failed to respond to "severe, persistent, and coordinated harassment" directed at Khalil and other students who were outspoken about Palestinian rights. Khalil stated that the university "did not care" about their safety and well-being, suggesting it prioritized its "ideological project." He also indicated that further lawsuits against individuals at Columbia are planned.
A spokesperson for Columbia University declined to comment on the pending litigation but affirmed the university's commitment to protecting its community from discrimination and harassment. The university was noted as the first to be targeted by the Trump administration in its efforts to address antisemitism accusations on campuses following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza.
According to the complaint, students repeatedly sought the administration's support against doxing campaigns, where their photos, names, and personal information were posted online. Khalil, known for mediating between students and officials, reported threats and harassment prior to his detention, including attacks on his immigration status. His attorney, Brittany Finley, stated that Columbia "knew what was happening on its campus, and it chose indifference over action." The university also subjected students to disciplinary proceedings, including suspending SIPA's Palestine Working Group in May 2025.