Video Shows Mahmoud Khalil’s Arrest at His NYC Home

Attorneys for Mahmoud Khalil, the former Columbia University student detained by federal agents last weekend, have released footage his pregnant wife filmed of his arrest.

The 2-minute video showed plainclothes officers in the lobby of an apartment building belonging to the university, along with Khalil, who they placed in handcuffs.

Khalil’s wife said in a statement that viewers were seeing “the most terrifying moment of my life.”

The Context

Khalil is a Palestinian activist who was involved in protests and negotiations during student protests on Columbia’s New York City campus last year over the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. His detention sparked outcry over the perceived threat to First Amendment rights.

What To Know

The video, shared by the Center for Constitutional Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who are representing Khalil, showed agents telling him he would be placed under arrest and repeatedly telling him to “turn around” so they could cuff him.

“Stop resisting,” one agent, whose face was blurred in the footage, said. Khalil’s wife, who is eight months pregnant, responded by saying her husband was not resisting.

“You guys really don’t need to be doing all of that,” his wife could be heard saying as she continued to film the arrest.

Khalil then gave his wife his cell phone and told her to call his attorney as he was walked out of the building. She followed and asked agents where they were taking her husband.

In a statement, Khalil’s wife said that he had repeatedly warned of threats toward him from the university and the United States government.

Following Khalil’s arrest, President Donald Trump said more would follow, referencing pro-Palestinian student protesters on college campuses, who he said were showing signs of support for Hamas.

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said one student with this alleged viewpoint had self-deported, while agents had arrested another.

Columbia is coming under increasing pressure from the Trump administration to tackle perceived antisemitism on campus. On Thursday, it announced that multiple students involved in a building occupation last year had faced disciplinary action.

What People Are Saying

Mahmoud Khalil’s wife Noor, in a statement: “You’re watching the most terrifying moment of my life. This felt like a kidnapping because it was: Officers in plain clothes — who refused to show us a warrant, speak with our attorney, or even tell us their names — forced my husband into an unmarked car and took him away from me.

“They threatened to take me too, even though we were calm and fully cooperating. For the next 38 hours after this video, neither I or our lawyers knew where Mahmoud was being held. Now, he’s over 1,000 miles from home, still being wrongfully detained by US immigration.”

Samah Sisay of the Center for Constitutional Rights: “Mr. Khalil was taken by plainclothes DHS agents in front of his pregnant wife without any legal justification. Mr. Khalil must be freed because the government cannot use these coercive tactics to unlawfully suppress his First Amendment protected speech in support of Palestinian rights.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, earlier this week: “This administration is not going to tolerate individuals having the privilege of studying in our country and then siding with pro-terrorist organizations that have killed Americans.”

Columbia University Interim President Katrina Armstrong, in a Thursday press release: “I understand the immense stress our community is under. Despite the unprecedented challenges, Columbia University will remain a place where the pursuit of knowledge is cherished and fiercely protected, where the rule of law and due process is respected and never taken for granted, and where all members of our community are valued and able to thrive. These are the principles we uphold and that guide us every day.”

What Happens Next

Khalil remains in custody in Louisiana, pending an immigration hearing on March 27.