Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia College pro-Palestinian activist who was detained by ICE for greater than three months, spoke with ABC Information Dwell Prime anchor Linsey Davis within the first on-camera interview since his launch.
Within the interview, which is about to air on Monday at 7 p.m. ET, Khalil mirrored on his detention and pushed again towards the Trump administration’s declare that he’s a menace to U.S. nationwide safety.
Khalil, who was detained on March 8, described that day as “essentially the most troublesome day that I’ve ever lived.”
Watch extra of Linsey Davis’ broadcast interview with Mahmoud Khalil on “Good Morning America” Monday at 7 a.m. ET and ABC Information Dwell Prime at 7 p.m. ET.
Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia College pro-Palestinian activist who was detained by ICE for greater than three months, spoke with ABC Information Dwell Prime anchor Linsey Davis within the first on-camera interview since his launch.
ABC Information
“I felt like I used to be actually kidnapped, all of the ‘know your rights’ that I’ve indulged myself into felt like nothing as a result of at that second ICE made it clear that you haven’t any rights, in any way,” he informed Davis.
Khalil, a inexperienced card holder who’s married to Dr. Noor Abdalla, an American citizen, was a graduate scholar at Columbia College’s College of Worldwide and Public Affairs the place he took half in a collection of pro-Palestinian protests on campus towards the Israeli army marketing campaign in Gaza.
Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil marches with supporters after he was launched from ICE detention throughout a rally outdoors of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan, June 22, 2025 in New York Metropolis.
Spencer Platt/Getty Pictures
Abdalla gave start on April 21 to the couple’s first baby, a son named Deen, however Khalil’s request to be current for his son’s start was denied. He didn’t meet him till Might 22 whereas in custody.
“What did that imply that you simply had been denied that?” Davis requested.
“That is essentially the most merciless factor that any administration would do,” Khalil mentioned. “Clearly, I used to be not hazard to the group, that they might have afforded me that chance to be with my son, nevertheless it’s not solely about me, it is in regards to the hundreds of people that can’t be with their kids.”
Former Columbia College scholar and pro-Palestinian protest chief Mahmoud Khalil holds a press convention outdoors the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, June 22, 2025.
Kena Betancur/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Requested what his first evening along with his son was like, Khalil mentioned that he “could not sleep.”
“[I was] simply taking a look at him, being with him,” he mentioned. “I’d be alert to any type of expression that Deen would make as a result of the second that was stripped of me, of witnessing his start, actually impacted me on so many ranges.”
Khalil was detained in March, with the Trump administration saying then partly that his continued presence within the nation would pose a threat to U.S. overseas coverage. Nevertheless, Choose Farbiarz issued a preliminary injunction final week barring the Trump administration from persevering with to detain him based mostly on that assertion.
He was detained for a further week till his launch on Friday after the federal government argued for his continued detention based mostly on their allegation that he misrepresented data on his inexperienced card software, an allegation that Khalil and his attorneys deny.
“The White Home has mentioned that you simply distributed pro-Hamas fliers. Secretary Rubio mentioned that you simply created an atmosphere of harassment towards Jewish college students. President Trump mentioned we received to get him the hell out of our nation. Why do you suppose that you’re perceived as such a menace?” Davis requested Khalil.
“As a result of I characterize a motion that goes towards what this administration is making an attempt to do,” Khalil responded. “They attempt to painting me as a violent individual. They attempt to painting me as a terrorist, as some lunatic, however not presenting any proof, not presenting any shred of credibility to their claims.”
Former Columbia College scholar and pro-Palestinian protest chief Mahmoud Khalil shouts slogans in entrance of Columbia College after delivering a press convention in New York Metropolis, June 22, 2025
Kena Betancur/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Khalil was released Friday evening from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Jena, Louisiana, after U.S. District Choose Michael Farbiarz issued an order granting his launch on bail. The choose mentioned the federal government made no try to show that Khalil’s launch would irreparably hurt them indirectly or that Khalil represented a flight threat.
“What all that proof provides as much as is an absence of violence, an absence of property destruction, an absence of something that is likely to be characterised as incitement to violence,” Farbiarz mentioned of Khalil.
The choose mentioned that the situations of Khalil’s launch shall not embrace digital monitoring or a requirement {that a} bond be instantly posted.
The Division of Homeland Safety sharply criticized the choose’s choice to launch Khalil, claiming in a statement on Friday that the ruling is “yet one more instance of how out-of-control members of the judicial department are undermining nationwide safety,” and arguing “an immigration choose, not a district choose, has the authority to resolve if Mr. Khalil must be launched or detained.”
“Their conduct not solely denies the results of the 2024 election, it additionally does nice hurt to our constitutional system by undermining public confidence within the courts,” the assertion continued.
Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who was launched from ICE detention, and his spouse Noor Abdalla take part in a rally on the steps of Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan, June 22, 2025 in New York Metropolis.
Spencer Platt/Getty Pictures
The ruling to launch Khalil got here on the similar time an immigration choose in Jena, Louisiana, denied Khalil’s request for asylum and ordered him to stay detained. Farbiarz’s order outmoded that ruling.
Khalil, a grandson of Palestinian refugees who was born in Syria and has Algerian citizenship, mentioned that he’s going through “a really lengthy combat forward,” however mentioned that he is not going to cease advocating for Palestinian human rights.
“I might be detained subsequent week if the federal government prevails on enchantment, which they won’t,” he mentioned. “However what I’ll give attention to is continuous to advocate for Palestinians.”
“The specter of detention is not going to deter you?” Davis requested.
“Not any menace would deter me as a result of nobody ought to keep silent when individuals are getting killed. Nobody,” Khalil mentioned.
Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil marches with supporters after he was launched from ICE detention throughout a rally outdoors of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan, June 22, 2025 in New York Metropolis.
Spencer Platt/Getty Pictures
The Israel-Hamas conflict started on Oct. 7, 2023, with Hamas’ terrorist assault on Israel, the place a minimum of 1,200 had been killed and 251 had been taken hostage. There are 50 hostages that stay in Hamas captivity, with 27 that Israel believes are useless, in response to Israeli officers.
The conflict has taken a extreme toll on the Palestinian inhabitants in Gaza, with 55,104 folks killed, in response to the Hamas-run Gaza Well being Ministry.
When speaking in regards to the Palestinian motion, Khalil mentioned there’s “no place” for antisemitism or “any type of racism.”
“There is no place for any type of racism, together with anti-Blackness, antisemitism within the Palestine motion, and the Jewish college students and folks on the whole in the US are an integral a part of the Palestinian motion,” he mentioned.
ABC Information’ Sabina Ghebremedhin contributed to this report.
