Mahmoud Khalil returns to activism after release from ICE custody, gets greeted by AOC
Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder and pro-Palestine activist, has been released from an ICE detention center following a federal judge’s ruling that his detention was unlawful.
He returned to New Jersey and was greeted by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Saturday, and participated in a protest on Sunday.
A pro-Palestine activist and former Columbia University graduate student has been released from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Louisiana after a federal judge ruled his detention unlawful.
Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder, was cheerfully welcomed back to New Jersey on Saturday by friends, family, and Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC).
BREAKING: AOC personally accompanies Syrian National Mahmoud Khalil as he leaves the ICE detention facility.
Is she a NY congresswoman, or a Syrian one? pic.twitter.com/osj5WDtTGi— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) June 21, 2025
The congresswoman denounced the Trump administration for “baselessly” accusing Mahmoud of “horrific allegations.”
[RELATED: NYC profs join Khalil attorney to protest ‘attacks on public education’]
Khalil is a citizen of Algeria and was arrested at his home in New York after he participated in a series of pro-Hamas protests on campus, blasting the United States and the Israeli military’s responses to Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.
Khalil had been held for over 100 days following his arrest by federal agents in March, drawing support from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union—a leftist advocacy organization.
Since his release, Khalil has pledged to return to his anti-Israel activism.
”I can be detained next week if the government prevails on appeal, which they will not,” he said, according to ABC News. “But what I will focus on is continuing to advocate for Palestinians.”
On Sunday, Khalil was spotted protesting outside of Columbia University just one day after the U.S. launched attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
[RELATED: Columbia hate crime suspect apologizes to Palestinian community, not Jewish victims]
Khalil has not received any criminal charges, but his release was ordered even as the Trump administration continues its efforts to deport him to his home country of Algeria.
His arrest came as President Donald Trump continues his broader crackdown on disruptive pro-Palestinian protests across the country. In response, Khalil said that he represents “a movement that goes against what this administration is trying to do,” ABC News reports.
Khalil’s legal team is also reportedly considering legal action against ICE.
Campus Reform reached out to Columbia University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
