In a significant legal move, Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has filed a lawsuit against Columbia University, alleging that the institution failed to adequately address harassment directed at him and fellow members of a pro-Palestinian campus group. The lawsuit, submitted in federal court in New York City on Monday, claims that the university’s “deliberate indifference” not only led to the doxing of several group members but also resulted in Khalil’s detention by immigration authorities.
During a news conference to announce the lawsuit, Khalil characterized the university’s actions as “discrimination aimed at intimidating Palestinian students.” He emphasized the need for accountability, stating, “We are suing because no student, regardless of their background, should go through the hell that Columbia put us through over all these years.”
Columbia University has refrained from commenting specifically on the lawsuit, but reiterated its commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive campus environment. In a statement, the university affirmed, “Creating a campus environment where every member of our community feels welcome, supported, and safe is fundamental to who we are as a University.” It further claimed to be dedicated to protecting its community from discrimination and harassment and responding appropriately to concerns.
This is not Khalil’s first legal confrontation with the university; he previously sued Columbia to prevent the release of student records to a congressional committee. Khalil, a former graduate student, has gained prominence as a spokesperson for student activists protesting Israel’s actions in Gaza.
In March 2025, Khalil was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in his campus apartment. His detention highlighted the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Khalil spent 104 days in a Louisiana immigration jail, missing the birth of his first child, before a federal judge ordered his release. His deportation case remains ongoing.
The latest lawsuit alleges that Columbia “refused to correct disinformation” while Khalil was detained, allowing harmful narratives about his conduct to persist. This, according to the lawsuit, exacerbated peer-on-peer harassment against Khalil and other Palestinian students, as well as those perceived to share Arab or Muslim ancestry.
Rather than investigating the harassment reports, the university reportedly retaliated by categorizing events organized by a pro-Palestinian group as security threats and altering disciplinary policies to silence criticism of the Israeli government. At the press conference, Khalil also accused Columbia of surveilling pro-Palestinian students and employing private investigators to monitor his activities.
Khalil’s lawsuit seeks a court order to restore his access to campus, lift the suspension of the pro-Palestinian group, and claims damages that will be determined at trial. The complaint also includes the pro-Palestinian group and its president, Mohammad Zubairi, as plaintiffs, highlighting the collective struggle for Palestinian advocacy within academic institutions.
