Mahmoud Khalil sues Trump for millions over "illegal" arrest and detention

New York, New York - Mahmoud Khalil, one of the most prominent leaders of US pro-Palestinian campus protests, sued President Donald Trump's administration Thursday for $20 million over his warrantless arrest and detention by immigration agents.

Mahmoud Khalil (r.) sued President Donald Trump's administration Thursday for $20 million over his warrantless arrest and detention by immigration agents. © Collage: REUTERS

Khalil, a legal permanent resident in the US who is married to a US citizen and has a US-born son, had been in custody following his arrest in March.

The 30-year-old was freed from a federal immigration detention center in Louisiana last month, hours after a judge ordered his release on bail.

"The administration carried out its illegal plan to arrest, detain, and deport Mr. Khalil 'in a manner calculated to terrorize him and his family,' the claim says, according to the Center for Constitutional Rights, which is backing Khalil.

Khalil suffered "severe emotional distress, economic hardship [and] damage to his reputation," the claim adds.

The Columbia University graduate was a figurehead of student protests against US ally Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza, and the Trump administration labeled him a national security threat.

Khalil called the lawsuit a "first step towards accountability."

"Nothing can restore the 104 days stolen from me. The trauma, the separation from my wife, the birth of my first child that I was forced to miss," he said in the statement.

"There must be accountability for political retaliation and abuse of power."

Khalil has previously shared his "horrendous" experience in detention, where he "shared a dorm with over 70 men, absolutely no privacy, lights on all the time."

Mahmoud Khalil today filed a claim detailing the harm he has suffered as a result of his politically motivated arrest and detention. The claim is a precursor to a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, which he will bring under the Federal Tort Claims Act. pic.twitter.com/na9TrRSfD4

— The CCR is on bsky (@ccrjustice.org) (@theCCR) July 10, 2025

Trump's continued attacks on pro-Palestinian protestors

President Trump's government has attempted to justify pushing for Khalil's deportation by saying his continued presence in the US could carry "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences."

Khalil's detention came amid Trump's campaign against top US universities in recent months, with the president facing off against Columbia, Harvard, and other schools over foreign student enrollment while cutting federal grants and threatening to strip accreditation.

Mr. Khalil is seeking $20 million, which he would use to help others similarly targeted by the Trump administration and Columbia University. He would accept, in lieu of payment, an official apology and abandonment of the administration’s unconstitutional policy pic.twitter.com/Q5TTqoqE9Y

— The CCR is on bsky (@ccrjustice.org) (@theCCR) July 10, 2025

Beyond his legal case, Khalil's team has expressed fear he could face threats out of detention.