Mahmoud Khalil Files Claim Against Trump Administration Over Detention for Pro-Palestinian Views
Lawyers representing Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old Palestinian-American permanent resident, have filed a legal claim against the Trump-era Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State, accusing them of wrongful detention and political targeting over his pro-Palestinian stance.
The claim was filed under a federal law that mandates individuals to seek damages directly from the U.S. government before proceeding with a lawsuit. The government has six months to respond.
Khalil was arrested in March 2025 and detained for months as the Trump administration moved to deport him, citing that his public support for Palestinians allegedly strained U.S.-Israel relations. He was released on June 20 following a high-profile legal battle in which his attorneys argued the administration was punishing him for his political beliefs.
“This should be a deterrent to the administration,” Khalil told Reuters after filing the claim. “Trump only responds to the language of money.”
The Department of Homeland Security dismissed the legal action, calling Khalil’s claim “absurd,” and defended its decision to detain him as legally justified.
In June, U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled in Khalil’s favor, stating that the administration had violated his constitutional right to free speech. The judge ordered Khalil’s release on bail while deportation proceedings continue.
Khalil is also demanding a formal apology and a policy change ensuring that individuals are not detained or deported for expressing pro-Palestinian views.
The case has drawn national attention, with civil rights advocates and pro-Palestinian groups condemning what they view as an effort to equate criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Khalil was the first person detained under Trump’s controversial proposal to deport foreign nationals who protest against Israel’s war in Gaza.
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