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Mahmoud Khalil Released From ICE Jail, Returns to New York

HeadlineJun 23, 2025

Columbia University graduate and Palestinian student protest leader Mahmoud Khalil has reunited with his wife and newborn son after being released on bail by a federal judge Friday following over 100 days in a Louisiana ICE jail. He was seized by federal agents in March, becoming the first pro-Palestinian campus protester to be jailed by the Trump administration. Mahmoud Khalil spoke briefly on Saturday after flying from Louisiana to New Jersey.

Mahmoud Khalil: “Still, the fight is far from over. The genocide is still happening in Gaza. Israel is still waging a full war against Palestinians across Palestine. The U.S. government is funding this genocide, and Columbia University is investing in this genocide. This is why I was protesting. This is why I will continue to protest with every one of you, not only if they threaten me with detention; even if they would kill me, I would still speak up for Palestine.”

On Sunday Mahmoud Khalil addressed over 1,000 supporters outside the Cathedral of St John the Divine in Manhattan and then led a march to the gates of Columbia University. We will have more from Mahmoud Khalil later in the program.

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