Mahmoud Khalil vowed to continue to fight for Palestine after being released from ice custody

Mahmoud Khalil, Pro-Palestinian activist of Columbia University, which was detained by ICE for more than three months, spoke with the main anchor of ABC News Live Linsey Davis in an interview in front of the first camera since it was released.

In the interview, which will be aired on Monday at 19:00 ET, Khalil pondered his detention and pushed back to the claim of the Trump government that he was a threat to US national security.

Khalil, who was detained on March 8, described that day as “the most difficult day I have ever lived.”

Watch more Linsey Davis broadcast interviews with Mahmoud Khalil on “Good Morning America” ​​Monday at 7 am Et and ABC News Live Prime at 19:00 et.

“I feel like I am really kidnapped, all ‘know your rights’ that have made me feel like anything because at that time Ice explained that you have no rights, anything,” he told Davis.

Khalil, a green card holder who married Dr. Noor Abdalla, an American citizen, is a postgraduate student at the Columbia University of International Affairs School where he took part in a series of pro-Palestinian protests on campus against Israeli military campaigns in Gaza.

Abdalla gave birth on April 21 for the couple’s first child, a son named Deen, but Khalil’s request to be present for the birth of his son was rejected. He did not meet him until May 22 when detained.

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

“That is the most cruel thing that will be done by administration,” Khalil said. “Obviously, I am not dangerous to the community, that they can give me the opportunity to be with my son, but not only about me, this is about thousands of people who cannot be with their children.”

Asked what his first night was like with his son, 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. “

Khalil was detained in March, with the Trump government said at that time that his sustainable presence in the country would pose a risk for US foreign policy. However, Judge Farbiarz issued a preliminary order last week which forbade Trump’s government to continue to hold it based on that statement.

He was detained for an additional week until his release on Friday after the government argued for his sustainable detention based on their accusations that he misinterpreted information about the Green Card Application, an accusation that Khalil and his lawyer denied.

“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.”

Khalil was released on Friday night from the immigration and customs upholding facility in Jena, Louisiana, after the US District judge Michael Farbiarz issued an order that gave a liberation 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 Department of Domestic Security sharply criticized the judge’s decision to free Khalil, claiming in a statement on Friday that the verdict is “another example of how uncontrolled members of the judicial branch damage national security,” and debate “an immigration judge, not a district judge, has the authority to decide whether Mr. Khalil must be released or detained.”

“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 continued.

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. Farbiarz ordered to replace the decision.

Khalil, the grandson of Palestinian refugees who were born in Syria and have Algerian citizenship, said that he faced “a very long fight ahead,” but said that he would not stop advocating for Palestinian human rights.

“I can be detained next week if the government wins over appeal, which they will not do,” he said. “But what I will focus on is to continue to advocate Palestinians.”

“The threat of detention will not prevent you?” Davis asked.

“There is no threat that will prevent me because no one is silent when people are killed. No one,” Khalil said.

The Israeli-Hamas war began on October 7, 2023, with Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, of which at least 1,200 was killed and 251 was held hostage. There are 50 hostages left in the Hamas Defense, with 27 believed to have died, 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.

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.

ABC News’ Sabna Ghebremedhin contributes to this report.