Tipsheet

Mahmoud Khalil Sues the Government, Again

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  July 15, 2026 9:00 AM

Mahmoud Khalil, the pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia student, is suing the government again. He went to court to stop his deportation, and that case has worked its way through the courts, with various judges ruling for and against Khalil.

Back in April, the immigration board issued a final order of deportation, which paves the way for Khalil's removal from the country. Now Khalil is suing the federal government and several private organizations, alleging a conspiracy targeting supporters of the pro-Palestine movement.

Here's more:

Mahmoud Khalil is suing the federal government and several private groups, alleging they were part of a conspiracy to suppress criticism of Israel by doxxing, jailing and attempting to deport supporters of the pro-Palestinian movement.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court Tuesday, alleges a coordinated campaign among senior officials of President Donald Trump’s administration, leaders of the Heritage Foundation and two online surveillance groups, Canary Mission and Betar.


According to Khalil’s lawyers, that “public-private partnership” — first brought to light in a separate trial last year — may violate the Ku Klux Klan Act, a Reconstruction-era law that sought to restrict government coordination with vigilante groups.

Inquiries to the Heritage Foundation, Canary Mission and Betar were not immediately returned on Tuesday.

A former graduate student at Columbia University, Khalil, 31, gained prominence as a spokesperson and leader for student activists protesting Israel and its actions in Gaza.

Simply incredible.

They have to be here to destroy it, which is their expressed goal.

With guys like Khalil, the Jews are always to blame.

He needs to be deported, like today.

Probably, but the process is the punishment and he's trying to delay his inevitable deportation.

They never think through how the discovery process would go for them. It would be very interesting, and not in Khalil's favor.

That's the most important question here. Why hasn't Khalil been deported? He had due process, the final order of removal was issued months ago. Send him out of the country.