Columbia University Event Featuring Mahmoud Khalil Sparks Outrage Among Jewish Alumni

Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student and anti-Israel protestor who was previously detained by U.S. immigration authorities, is scheduled to return to the Ivy League campus for a book tour promoting his new memoir, "No Land to Stand On." The event, hosted by Columbia's Center for Palestine Studies and the Simon and June Li Center for Global Journalism, has drawn sharp criticism from Jewish alumni.

Khalil, who spent 104 days in federal custody following his arrest during anti-Israel protests in 2024, is set to discuss his experiences documented in the book. The event flyer describes the memoir as a "revelatory and powerful testament of protest, courage, and imprisonment in America’s deportation regime."

This marks not the first time Khalil has returned to campus since his release from ICE custody in June 2025. However, the invitation to speak has been met with dismay by campus Jewish groups.

"We are appalled that, after the enormous reputational damage Khalil’s behavior inflicted on the University, the Journalism school would stoop to inviting him back to campus," said Ari Shrage, president of the Columbia University Jewish Alumni Association. "At a time when Columbia should be working to restore public trust and rebuild its reputation, this decision suggests that the University has learned nothing."

Khalil was a negotiator for anti-Israel demonstrators who occupied parts of the Columbia campus between 2023 and 2024. These protests led to the Trump administration withholding $400 million in federal funding from the university, citing a failure to protect students from antisemitism. Columbia later agreed to measures to prevent similar demonstrations.

Khalil, a Syrian-born permanent U.S. resident married to a U.S. citizen, became a prominent figure of the movement after his arrest. The Trump administration had alleged he provided false information on his green card application. A New Jersey federal judge initially ruled his detention was an act of retaliation, but a subsequent deportation order was issued by a Louisiana judge citing omissions from his application.

Khalil has since filed lawsuits against the U.S. government, asserting that his rights, including freedom of speech, were violated during his arrest.

Columbia University defended its decision to host the event, stating that it supports academic freedom and does not necessarily endorse the views of guest speakers. "Columbia supports the right of faculty members to organize academic events. An invitation to speak does not signify University endorsement of a speaker’s views," a school spokesperson said. "We remain committed to rigorous debate, inquiry, and respectful dialogue across differing perspectives."