MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, Manhattan (WABC) — Monday marks one year since the detention of former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil.<\/p>\n
Federal agents took him into custody for his involvement in pro-Palestinian protests. Khalil has since been released, but his deportation case is still tied up in court.<\/p>\n
While Khalil may now be free from detention, he is not free from fear and the possibility he could still be deported.<\/p>\n
“It’s really impacting everything in our lives, right now I don’t go on walks with my child alone, fearing that there would be arbitrary detention from this administration,” Khalil said. “That my American child will also be deported, because they’ve done it.”<\/p>\n
One year later, Khalil’s life is still in limbo and his future is still uncertain.<\/p>\n
The Columbia University graduate and U.S. permanent resident and green card holder was arrested by ICE agents last March in front of his pregnant wife.<\/p>\n
The Trump administration accused Khalil of promoting antisemitism for his pro-Palestinian speech He was ordered released by a federal immigration judge months later.<\/p>\n
But today, Khalil still can’t find an employer willing to risk hiring him and remains uncertain if he’ll be around for his newborn child.<\/p>\n
The Department of Homeland Security plans to rearrest Khalil and deport him to Algeria.<\/p>\n
“A year later now the administration has not charged me with any crime,” he said. “Because they cannot. There isn’t anything they can charge me with.”<\/p>\n
Khalil, front and center Monday at a protest outside the university, denounced what they say was the school’s complicity.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, last month ICE was back at Columbia but this time for another student, Ellie Aghayeva. The university says ICE agents gained entry by claiming they were police searching for a missing child.<\/p>\n
“Less than two weeks ago we saw ICE literally lie, the most deplorable thing,” said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. “There is a race to the bottom that they keep finding.”<\/p>\n
A university spokesperson said in a statement:<\/p>\n
“Columbia supports our students’ right to advocate for the issues they believe in through protest. At the same time, we want to be very clear: no member of Columbia’s leadership or its trustees has ever requested, invited, or coordinated the presence of ICE agents against our students or staff.”<\/p>\n
Aghayeva returned home the same day<\/a> after Mayor Zohran Mamdani asked President Trump for her release.<\/p>\n The mayor said he also asked the president to drop the case against Khalil.<\/p>\n In the meantime, Khalil’s attorneys have filed an appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals.<\/p>\n DHS is now claiming he lied on his Green Card application, but those are accusations Khalil denies.<\/p>\n He has a hearing set for later this month.<\/p>\n ———-<\/p>\n * Get Eyewitness News Delivered<\/a> <\/p>\n * More Manhattan news<\/a><\/p>\n * Send us a news tip<\/a><\/p>\n * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts<\/a> <\/p>\n * Follow us on YouTube<\/a> <\/p>\n
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News<\/p>\n