Mahmoud Khalil, in the first broadcast interview, said he would continue to ‘advocate what was right’

Mahmoud Khalil, Columbia University activist who was detained by immigration and customs enforcement for more than three months, spoke with the main anchors of ABC News Linsey Davis about his time in custody and vowing to continue their rights for Palestinian human rights in the first broadcast interview since being released on Friday.

Khalil, a green card holder who still faces the threat of deportation under Trump’s government, told Davis in an interview that aired on ABC News Live’s Prime on Monday that despite the threat of new detention, he was still not affected.

“There is no threat that will prevent me because no one has to be silent when people are killed. No one,” said Khalil, who in 2023-2024 helped lead a series of protests from Columbia University against Israeli military campaigns in Gaza.

Khalil, 30, was a postgraduate student in Columbia during the pro-Palestinian movement that erupted on campuses throughout the US-President Donald Trump vowed to “destroy” during his 2024 Presidential Campaign.

President Donald Trump, during his 2024 President’s campaign, swore to “destroy” protests because he claimed they were a nest of antisemitism.

“If you sit and talk with President Trump, what will you say?” Davis asked Khalil.

“My main message is that [President Trump] swear that he will establish the Palestinian movement in this country 20 years ago during his campaign. But what he did to me really increased the cause of the liberation of Palestine for years, “Khalil said.

Trump last year reportedly told Donor at a closed meeting during his campaign that he would destroy the lecture protest.

This movement was triggered by the Israeli-Hamas War which began on October 7, 2023, with Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, of which at least 1,200 was killed and 251 was held hostage. Fifty hostages are still in Hamas captivity, and an additional 27 are believed to die, according to Israeli officials.

The war had taken a big victim in the Palestinian population in Gaza, with 55,104 people killed, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health managed by Hamas.

“We do not ask that Palestine must receive special treatment,” Khalil said about the demands of the movement led by students. “We really say we just want justice and equality. ‘

Who is Mahmoud Khalil?

Khalil, who was detained on March 8 in his apartment building in New York, was the first famous pro-Palestinian activist held by ICE under Trump’s government. It was followed by the arrest of several other student activists.

“I feel like being kidnapped,” Khalil recalled. “All ‘know your rights’ that I have been struggling to feel like anything, because at that time Ice explained that you have no rights.”

Palestinian refugee grandson, Khalil was born and raised in a small refugee camp in South Damascus. He became a refugee again in Lebanon during the Syrian Civil War and then moved to Algeria, where he had citizenship. Khalil said that he was first accepted at Columbia University in 2020 but had to postpone until 2022 due to Pandemic Covid-19.

He married Dr. Noor Abdalla, an American citizen, who gave birth on April 21 for the couple’s first child, a boy named Deen. Khalil’s request to attend the birth of his son was rejected and he did not meet him until May 22 when detained.

He said that the loss of birth of his son was the most difficult part of his detention.

“What does you mean you were rejected?” Davis asked.

“That is the most cruel thing that will be done by administration,” Khalil said.

Asked what his first night was like with his son after his release, Khalil said that he “could not sleep.”

“[I was] Just staring at him, with him, “he said.” I will be aware of all types of expressions that Deen will do because of the moment that I stripped from me, witnessing his birth, really influenced me at many levels. “

Why is he detained?

In holding Khalil – a legitimate US resident – Trump’s government argues that its sustainable presence in the country will pose a risk for US foreign policy.

“The White House has said that you distributed pro-men’s leaflets. Secretary Rubio said that you created an environment of harassment of Jewish students. President Trump said we had to get it out from our country. Why do you think that you are considered a threat like that?” Davis asked Khalil.

“Because I represent a movement that is contrary to what is trying to do this government,” Khalil answered. “They tried to describe me as a cruel person. They tried to describe me as a terrorist, as a crazy person, but did not provide any evidence, did not present pieces of credibility to their claims.”

When talking about the Palestinian movement, Khalil said “there is no place” for antisemitism or “all forms of racism.”

“There is no place for all forms of racism, including anti-blackness, antisemitism in the Palestinian movement, and Jewish students and people in general in the United States are an integral part of the Palestinian movement,” he said.

US District Judge Michael Farbiarz issued a preliminary order on June 11 which prohibited Trump’s government from holding it based on the statement that he was a threat to national security. But Khalil was detained for one additional week until his release on Friday after the government argued because of his sustainable detention based on their accusations that he misinterpreted information about the green card application.

“Trump administration has said that you make negligence on your green card and misinterpret yourself. Is there any truth about that?” Davis asked.

“Not at all,” said Khalil. “They added this accusation a week after my arrest because they knew that their first accusation was also wrong.”

What happened next

Khalil was released on Friday from the immigration and customs upholding facility in Jena, Louisiana, after Judge Farbiarz issued an order that gave his release with a guarantee. The judge said the government did not try to prove that the release of Khalil would not endanger them in a certain way or that Khalil represented flight risk.

“What added all evidence is the lack of violence, lack of damage to property, lack of anything that might be characterized as incitement of violence,” Farbiarz said about Khalil.

The judge said that the provisions on the release of Khalil did not include electronic monitoring or the requirement that a bond would immediately be posted.

The verdict to free Khalil came at the same time an immigration judge in Jena, Louisiana, denied Khalil’s request for asylum and ordered him to remain detained – but Farbiarz’s orders to replace the decision.

The Department of Domestic Security sharply criticized the judge’s decision to free Khalil, saying in a statement on Friday that the decision was “another example of how uncontrolled members of the Judicial Branch damaged national security,” and debate “an immigration judge, not a district judge, had the authority to decide whether Khalil should be released or canceled.”

“Their behavior not only denied the results of the 2024 election, but also very dangerous to our constitutional system by damaging public trust in court,” the statement said.

When his case moved forward, Khalil said that he was “very concerned” about his safety and his family and said he knew that he could be detained again if Trump’s administrative appeal was valid in a federal court.

Contemplating “a very long fight ahead,” he said that the threat of the government would not stop him from talking.

“[The Trump administration] Want to make me an example so that no one dares to talk about Palestine, “said Khalil.” But that won’t stop me from continuing to advocate what is right. “

ABC News’ Sabna Ghebremedhin contributes to this report.