Donald Trump has been hit with legal battles from every corner. There seems to be no relief in sight at this point.
As the Trump administration is stunned speechless after being sued by a terrorist supporter.
In a Manhattan apartment, Mahmoud Khalil cradles his 10-week-old son, Deen, his thoughts drifting to the tense nights spent in a Louisiana immigration detention center, per the New York Post. The Palestinian activist, known for leading campus protests, recalls pacing in the pre-dawn hours, awaiting news of his son’s birth. “I cannot describe the pain of that night,” Khalil said. “This is something I will never forgive.”
Now free, Khalil has launched a bold $20 million claim against the Trump administration, filed Thursday, accusing the government of false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and wrongly branding him an antisemite. The claim, a step toward a lawsuit under the Federal Tort Claims Act, targets the Department of Homeland Security, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the State Department.
Yet, supporters of President Trump view this as a direct challenge to his robust immigration policies, designed to protect national security and American values.
Khalil, a 30-year-old recent Columbia University graduate student, remains caught in an ongoing deportation case. He claims his fight is about holding power accountable.
“They are abusing their power because they think they are untouchable,” Khalil says. “Unless they feel there is some sort of accountability, it will continue to go unchecked.” He vows to share any settlement with others he believes were unfairly targeted in Trump’s “failed” crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism or accept an apology and policy shifts.
The Trump administration, however, stands firm. Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, dismissed the claim as “absurd,” pointing to Khalil’s “hateful behavior and rhetoric” as a threat to Jewish students. The State Department defended its actions as fully legal, while the White House and ICE did not immediately respond. For Trump’s supporters, these agencies are upholding the law, ensuring those who stir unrest face consequences.
The claim details Khalil’s arrest on March 8, when he says he was “effectively kidnapped” by plainclothes federal agents after dinner with his wife, Noor Abdalla. He claims the agents provided no warrant and were unaware of his legal US permanent resident status.
Transferred to a remote jail in Jena, Louisiana, Khalil alleges his location was “deliberately concealed” from his family and lawyers. There, he says he was denied ulcer medication, endured harsh lighting, and ate “nearly inedible” food, losing 15 pounds. “I cannot remember a night when I didn’t go to sleep hungry,” he recalls.
The Trump administration celebrated the arrest, framing it as part of a decisive effort to deport individuals engaged in what it called “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity.” Khalil, who denies antisemitism and has no ties to Hamas or any terror group, calls the accusations “very absurd,” likening them to “reality TV.” Trump supporters, however, see the administration’s actions as a necessary response to activism that could destabilize US interests.
A State Department memo, signed by Secretary Marco Rubio, admitted Khalil broke no laws but argued his deportation was justified because his beliefs could undermine US foreign policy. Khalil counters, “My beliefs are not wanting my tax money or tuition going toward investments in weapons manufacturers for a genocide. It’s as simple as that.” For Trump’s base, such statements reflect a worldview at odds with America’s global leadership, justifying scrutiny.
In detention, Khalil gained attention, organizing “office hours” to help fellow detainees with paperwork, drawing on his experience at the British embassy in Beirut. “I’m pretty good at bureaucracy,” he says.
Evenings brought card games and stories of confusion from others. “This was one of the most heartbreaking moments,” he says. “People on the inside don’t know if they have any rights.” Trump supporters argue that such facilities are essential for processing potential threats, ensuring order in immigration enforcement.
On June 20, after 104 days, a federal judge ordered Khalil’s release, ruling the government’s attempt to deport him on foreign policy grounds likely unconstitutional. New allegations now claim he misrepresented details on his green card application—charges his attorneys call retaliatory, while the administration sees them as evidence of justified oversight. Khalil’s legal team has moved to dismiss these claims.
Since his release, Khalil treads cautiously, avoiding crowds and late-night walks, fearing harassment or rearrest. Yet, he cherishes moments like watching Deen’s first swim.
Khalil persists in advocating against Israel’s war in Gaza, which Gaza’s Health Ministry reports has k*lled over 57,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The day after his arrest, he led a Manhattan march, draped in a Palestinian flag with security in tow.
For Trump’s supporters, such actions highlight why his administration’s tough stance is necessary to maintain national security.
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