As the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals is set to hear oral argument on October 21, 2025, in the case of Mahmoud Khalil, Amnesty International continues its call for the Trump Administration to close his case and end its efforts to detain and deport him for his advocacy against Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip.
“Mahmoud Khalil should never have been targeted or detained by the U.S. government in the first place,” said Justin Mazzola, Deputy Director of Research at Amnesty International USA. “The Trump administration must respect the rights to freedom of expression and assembly and abandon its efforts to punish Mahmoud Khalil for protesting Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza through its relentless pursuit to detain and deport him.
“Targeting and threatening peaceful protesters and their immigration status for speaking out on the human rights of Palestinians, or any other issue, is a clear violation of human rights. This policy is intended to send a chilling warning: that anyone exercising their rights will be subject to arbitrary arrest, detention, and deportation by this administration. The Trump administration must stop it’s targeting of students and activists to instill fear and silence dissent.”
Khalil’s case is not isolated. At least ten other international students or activists were similarly targeted for deportation by the government for their advocacy on Palestinian human rights. This includes Leqaa Kordia, a 32-year-old Palestinian woman, who was targeted for her participation in a 2024 protest outside Columbia University. She has been arbitrarily detained since March 13, 2025. Amnesty International is also calling for her release.
“The Trump administration must stop using threats, intimidation, detention, and other authoritarian practices as political weapons to silence dissent,” said Mazzola. “This cruel attack on human rights must stop and the Trump administration must stop targeting Mahmoud Khalil and end its efforts to deport him.”
Background:
- On March 8, 2025, U.S. immigration authorities unlawfully arrested and arbitrarily detained Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful permanent resident, Palestinian activist and student organizer who recently graduated from Columbia University. Mahmoud was targeted for his role in student protests at Columbia University.
- After more than three months of being unjustly detained, on June 20, 2025, Mahmoud was released on bail, and has been reunited with his wife and newborn child as his immigration case proceeds. At that time, U.S. authorities informed him his permanent residency status was revoked and that he was being placed in deportation proceedings.
- As Mahmoud’s legal challenges continue, a federal magistrate judge eased his travel restrictions within the U.S. on October 16, 2025, which will allow him to speak publicly on his case.
- In the oral argument set for October 21, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments about whether the government can re-detain him as his case proceeds.
- Amnesty International has also called on colleges and universities to take steps to ensure their students and faculty can exercise their right to protest in support of Palestinian rights and other issues and is supporting students working to pass a firewall for freedom resolution on their campuses.
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