Khalil was born in 1995 to Palestinian parents in a refugee camp in Syria and later became a legal U.S. permanent resident.[1][2][3] Khalil organized protests against the government during the Syrian revolution, but fled Syria in 2013 after two of his friends were detained.[4]
In spring 2024, Khalil emerged as a negotiator and spokesperson for pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, which demanded divestment from companies linked to Israel and a ceasefire in the Gaza war. He was not arrested during the protests or accused of participating in actions such as the Hamilton Hall takeover.[6]
On June 11, 2025, federal judge Michael Farbiarz ruled Khalil’s detention unconstitutional, noting he was neither a flight risk nor a community threat. Khalil was released on June 20, 2025, after a court found the government’s case relied on unverified tabloid reports. His case drew attention as part of a broader Trump administration effort to deport pro-Palestinian student activists.[10]
In July 2025, Khalil filed a claim for US$20 million in damages against the Trump administration.[11][12]
Views
Khalil said that Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel were, in his interpretation, part of "a desperate attempt to tell the world that Palestinians are here, that Palestinians are part of the equation", driven by the absence of a political process and the imminence of a Saudi–Israel deal.[13] He called the attacks a calculated decision by Hamas that, "it's obvious were not right" and a violation of international law, while also rejecting what he called the expectation that Palestinians be "perfect victims".[13][14]
Of antisemitism at Columbia University, Khalil said there was "manufactured hysteria about antisemitism at Columbia because of the protests", adding, "it's not like antisemitism is happening at Columbia because of the Palestine movement."[15][14]
Personal life
Khalil is married to Noor Abdalla, a U.S. citizen with whom he has an infant son.[2] During his detention, she accepted his Columbia University diploma on his behalf and announced the birth of his son. Upon his release, Khalil reunited with his family in New York.[16][17]
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