Mahmoud Khalil Sues Trump Administration For $20M In Damages: Report

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, NY — On Thursday, lawyers for Mahmoud Khalil filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, seeking $20 million in damages for holding the Columbia University graduate in federal immigration detention from March 8 to June 20, during which he missed the birth of his son.

The lawsuit, first reported by the Associated Press, says Khalil was falsely imprisoned and maliciously prosecuted as the government attempted to deport him due to his active role in pro-Palestinian protests on campus. The lawsuit also alleges that the Trump administration falsely smeared Khalil as an antisemite.

To target Khalil, the Trump administration used a provision of the 1953 Immigration and Nationality Act to arrest and detain noncitizens who engage in protest that could harm the country's international relations, in a memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"They are abusing their power because they think they are untouchable," Khalil told the Associated Press on Thursday. "Unless they feel there is some sort of accountability, it will continue to go unchecked."

In a statement to the Associated Press, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, called Khalil’s lawsuit "absurd" and accused him of "hateful behavior and rhetoric."

Read the original report from the Associated Press here.

This is a developing story and may be updated. For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.