Mahmoud Khalil seeks $20 million or apology after missing his child’s birth during detention under Trump administration.

Pro-Palestinian Activist Pursues Federal Claim for Detention

Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist, is pursuing a $20 million claim against the U.S. government after he was detained and targeted for deportation by the Trump administration earlier this year. Khalil, who missed the birth of his first child during his 104-day detention, asserts that his treatment was unconstitutional and part of a broader effort to silence dissenting voices.

According to a press release from the Center for Constitutional Rights, Khalil is willing to accept an official apology and the abandonment of what he calls the administration’s unconstitutional policies as an alternative to the financial settlement. The claim is a precursor to a federal lawsuit under the Federal Tort Claims Act, a law that allows individuals to sue the government for certain civil rights violations.

Khalil’s legal team contends that his detention was politically motivated, referencing his activism and criticism of U.S. foreign policy. "This is the first step towards accountability. Nothing can restore the 104 days stolen from me. The trauma, the separation from my wife, the birth of my first child that I was forced to miss. But let’s be clear, the same government that targeted me for speaking out is using taxpayer dollars to fund Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza," Khalil said in the statement.

Government Officials Defend Detention and Deportation Policy

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has strongly pushed back against Khalil’s accusations. Assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin dismissed Khalil’s claims, asserting, "Mahmoud Khalil's claim that DHS officials branded him as an antisemite and terrorized him and his family is absurd. It was Khalil who terrorized Jewish students on campus. He ‘branded’ himself as antisemite through his own hateful behavior and rhetoric."

McLaughlin emphasized that "it is a privilege to be granted a visa or green card to live and study in the United States of America. The Trump Administration acted well within its statutory and constitutional authority to detain Khalil, as it does with any alien who advocates for violence, glorifies and supports terrorists, harasses Jews, and damages property."

A senior State Department official, noting ongoing litigation, defended the government’s actions, stating, "The actions of the United States with respect to Mahmoud Khalil were correct and necessary and fully supported both by fact and by law. It is our duty to use all available lawful tools and measures to remove aliens who violate our laws or pose a threat to our fellow citizens and communities."

The pending lawsuit is expected to test the boundaries of free speech protections, immigration enforcement, and the federal government’s power to act in the name of national security. While Khalil and his supporters frame the detention as retaliation for political speech, federal officials maintain that their decisions were motivated solely by legal violations and threats to public safety.

As legal proceedings advance, the case highlights deep divisions over immigration, campus activism, and government authority. Both sides are preparing for a lengthy court battle that could set important precedents on civil rights and executive power.