Mahmoud Khalil Filed A $20 Million Claim Against The Trump Administration
Columbia University anti-Israel agitator Mahmoud Khalil filed a $20 million claim against the Trump administration on Thursday, alleging he was “falsely imprisoned, maliciously prosecuted, and smeared as an antisemite” during a deportation process initiated by the U.S. State Department.
The claim, which names the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the State Department, is a precursor to a potential lawsuit under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
According to Khalil’s comments to the Associated Press, the action is as much about public attention as it is about legal remedy. He asserts the federal government “abused its power” and demands either a payout or a formal apology and policy reform.
NEW: Mahmoud Khalil just filed a $20M damages claim against the Trump admin, alleging it terrorized his family and smeared him as an antisemite for political gain. He spoke with us about the filing, and the moments of bliss and anguish since his release https://t.co/3lh1Krdua1 pic.twitter.com/640Hbm4eCo
— Jake Offenhartz (@jangelooff) July 10, 2025
Khalil, whose vocal anti-Israel activism has drawn widespread criticism, said his detainment kept him hundreds of miles from his wife during the birth of their son, calling the experience emotionally devastating. However, the AP’s sympathetic reporting notably excluded any mention of the Jewish students who reported feeling threatened by the atmosphere Khalil and his associates fostered on Columbia’s campus.
Khalil’s activities, which included organizing demonstrations, coordinating occupations, and promoting incendiary rhetoric, contributed to an environment that many Jewish students described as hostile.
University administrators and campus police had to respond to repeated incidents involving harassment and intimidation, though Khalil maintains his actions were protected political expression.
Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin responded firmly, calling the claim “absurd” and stating that Khalil was not a victim of injustice but a central figure in spreading "hateful behavior and rhetoric" that directly endangered students. “This is not about political persecution,” McLaughlin said, “It’s about accountability.”
Khalil’s deportation case remains active in U.S. immigration courts. His legal team has not yet filed a formal lawsuit, but the $20 million claim is a clear signal that they intend to pursue a broader battle — one not just legal in nature, but ideological.