Columbia's Palestinian Activist Faces Federal Detention Amid Crackdown

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student activist at Columbia University, has been transferred to a federal jail in Louisiana. His detention is linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's measures against anti-Israel protests. Concerns rise over immigration enforcement on campus, perceived as a free speech suppression.

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student activist at Columbia University, has been moved to a federal detention center in Louisiana amid U.S. President Trump's immigration crackdown. Khalil was arrested in New York, sparking questions about the impact on free speech and campus safety.

Legal challenges are underway as Khalil's lawyers argue his arrest was unlawful, rooted in his vocal stance against U.S. policies supporting Israel. Rights groups express alarm, citing a chilling effect on protest and free speech, particularly among international students.

The incident highlights a broader trend of increased immigration scrutiny in academic circles as authorities allegedly target campuses where anti-Israel sentiment is growing. Columbia University and U.S. officials have not commented on the situation.

(With inputs from agencies.)