U.S. Government Confirms No Court Order for Palestinian Activist’s Arrest

• Was Mahmoud Khalil’s Arrest Illegal?
• DHS Cites Flight Risk
• Video Contradicts Official Version

The U.S. government admitted it did not have a court order to arrest Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist detained by immigration agents in Louisiana.

According to documents filed Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a New Jersey court, agents feared Khalil would flee before they could obtain a warrant.

The DHS justified the arrest by claiming Khalil did not carry his green card and refused to cooperate with authorities, allegedly stating that he «was going to leave the area.»

For this reason, one of the agents concluded there was a «flight risk.»

Mahmoud Khalil’s Detention Was Without Court Order

The U.S. government confirmed that there was no court order to arrest Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who has been detained in an immigration center in Louisiana since last March.

Photo: Reuters Archive pic.twitter.com/qe5zkdxy9t

— NMás (@nmas) April 25, 2025

However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) disputed this account, pointing to a video recorded by Khalil’s wife showing that the activist did not resist arrest.

«It is unacceptable for the government to rely on falsehoods to justify a warrantless arrest,» stated Ramzi Kassem, Khalil’s attorney.

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«It was a kidnapping at the hands of ICE under the cover of darkness,» he added.

Mahmoud Khalil, 30, was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria and graduated from Columbia University.

In March, he was arrested at a university residence after participating as a moderator in pro-Palestinian student protests.

He is currently being held in Jena, Louisiana, while his deportation proceedings continue. A federal judge has authorized the government to proceed with the case.

The DHS claims that Mahmoud Khalil’s activities could have «serious consequences for U.S. foreign policy,» although allegations of antisemitic behavior attributed to him have not been substantiated.

This case marks the first among several arrests of foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at universities across the country.

With information from Efe.