Columbia University’s student labor organization and its allies took a stand on March 14, 2025, in New York City, condemning the Trump administration’s recent moves against the institution and the arrest of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. This protest was sparked by the apprehension of another student from Columbia University, who had spoken out against the US-supported Israeli attacks in Gaza, which have reportedly claimed the lives of more than 47,000 Palestinians, with a substantial proportion being women and children.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the detention of Leqaa Korida, a Palestinian from the West Bank region. Her alleged crime revolved around the claim of outliving her F-1 student visa’s validity. It was reported that her visa had become invalid as of January 26, 2022, and she was pickeed up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at a protest event on the Columbia campus in April 2024.
This recent detainment took place in the wake of Palestinian advocate Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest the previous week. A 30-year-old alum of Columbia University and a holder of a green card, Khalil was escorted more than a thousand miles away from his American spouse, who is in the third trimester of her pregnancy.
Students at Columbia University showed their solidarity with Gaza by establishing the ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’ on April 17, 2024. This encampment urged the university to divest from corporations with connections to the Israeli government and military apparatus. This movement caught fire, spreading to over 120 universities both within the United States and globally, and has seen multitudinous students and faculty members participating in the protest actions.
In the ensuing weeks, Hamilton Hall at Columbia University became the stage for a peaceful demonstration as hundreds of students occupied the space, renaming it Hind’s Hall in memory of Hind Rijab. Hind was just six years old when she fell victim to the ongoing violence perpetrated by the Israeli military, adding her name to the thousands of children whose lives were lost in the eruption of violence over the past one and a half years.
Despite these protests being predominantly peaceful, the New York Police Department responded with mass raids, arresting numerous students. This response was not isolated to New York alone; similar crackdowns were carried out on encampments throughout the nation.
Khalil’s current living conditions involve detention at an immigration center located in Jena, Louisiana. His case ongoing as US District Judge Jesse Furman in New York hears the details. Judge Furman has temporarily obstructed Khalil’s deportation and plans additional court proceedings in the following week.
Dissatisfaction with Khalil’s ongoing detention has stirred considerable unrest both in the United States and worldwide. A wave of peaceful protest engulfed the Columbia University campus where numerous students and local residents fervently demanded Khalil’s release.
Supporters also called for an immediate cessation of American support for Israel. In a show of solidarity, over 100 patrons in Ann Arbor, Michigan marched to the residence of University of Michigan President Santa Ono, imploring him to end the institution’s collaboration with immigration law enforcement.
In an extension of the call for Khalil’s freedom, the protestors in Ann Arbor, Michigan, also displayed a banner urging ICE to withdraw from campus grounds. The demonstration on March 14, 2025, underscored the strong sentiments against Khalil’s detention.
Recent events have painted a picture of what seems to be a targeted campaign against immigrants and the tenets of the First Amendment. Critics argue that these efforts are part of a larger attempt by the Trump administration to punish and suppress anyone opposing US foreign policy and alleged military transgressions.
The Trump administration has accused Columbia University of harboring and shielding unlawful immigrants within its educational facilities. There is an ongoing investigation into the university’s actions in previous incidents, which are said to be in violation of civil rights laws and potentially related to terrorism offenses according to the DHS officials.
The recent wave of actions targeting immigrants is seen by many as part of the Trump administration’s broader drive to criminalize nonalignment with the US’s foreign policy agenda and suppress awareness of potential war crimes. In the face of such actions, the academic community at Columbia University and across the nation continues to voice their outcry and demand accountability.
These incidents have created a profound shockwave of concern not only among the student body but also across the nation. In this climate of heightened tension, the fate of both Khalil and Korida hangs in the balance.
As the conversation around these actions expands, the wider public is becoming increasingly aware of the potential implications they could have. With the fervor of protest showing no signs of dying down, the battle over America’s stance on foreign policy, human rights, and the direction of the nation continues.