Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil recently spoke out against the Trump administration, stating that their attempts to suppress pro-Palestinian voices have failed. Khalil, who was released from over three months in immigration detention, emphasized that his existence serves as a message to the administration.

After returning to New Jersey from a detention centre in Louisiana, Khalil expressed his defiance in an interview with the BBC. He highlighted the unsuccessful efforts to silence pro-Palestinian activists, despite facing deportation by the US government due to his activism being viewed as a threat to foreign policy interests.

During his time at Columbia University, Khalil played a significant role in pro-Palestinian protests, and his arrest on 8 March led to demonstrations in New York and Washington DC.