Columbia student faces deportation after protest arrest

Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student, was arrested by federal immigration agents amid protests over the Israel-Hamas war. His detention marks the first known action in President Trump's crackdown on campus protests deemed antisemitic. Khalil, a legal U.S. resident married to an American citizen, is facing potential deportation. His arrest has drawn criticism from civil rights advocates, who view it as an attack on free speech and pro-Palestinian activism. Khalil's supporters describe him as a thoughtful mediator during protests. He is currently held in a Louisiana detention center, while his wife, who is eight months pregnant, seeks public support for his release.