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Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil and other Columbia University students filed a lawsuit against the university on Monday, alleging it failed to protect them from years of harassment linked to their advocacy and perceived Arab or Muslim backgrounds.
The complaint, filed in Manhattan federal court by Khalil, the SIPA Palestine Working Group and group president Mohammad Zubairi, accuses Columbia of violating federal civil rights law. The plaintiffs say they faced threats, doxxing and other forms of harassment while the university failed to respond adequately.
Khalil became a prominent figure in the Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestinian student demonstrations after U.S. immigration agents arrested him in March 2025. At the time, Khalil was a lawful permanent resident and had not been charged with a crime.
Speaking at Columbia on Monday, Khalil accused the university of institutionalized anti-Palestinian bias and said students should not have to endure the treatment he and others allegedly experienced.
Columbia declined to discuss the lawsuit directly. A university spokeswoman said ensuring that community members feel "welcome, supported, and safe" remains a fundamental responsibility.
According to the lawsuit, Khalil began reporting harassment during the spring 2023 semester, months before the Gaza war began. The plaintiffs allege Columbia later treated pro-Palestinian demonstrations primarily as security concerns and adopted policies that could subject campus criticism of Israeli government or military actions to disciplinary measures.
The protests deeply divided Columbia, with supporters defending the demonstrations while some students said they felt threatened or viewed certain conduct as antisemitic. The unrest helped inspire solidarity encampments at universities nationwide and contributed to the resignation of Columbia's president.
Khalil, an Algerian citizen born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, spent 104 days detained in Louisiana after his arrest and was released on bail. He continues to face possible deportation following a federal appeals court ruling concerning jurisdiction over his release.
Khalil previously sued Columbia in March 2025 over its disclosure of student disciplinary records to a U.S. House committee.
