Columbia Graduate Sues Senior Trump Officials Under KKK Act

A former Columbia University graduate student and pro-Palestinian activist filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, accusing senior Trump administration officials and several private organizations of conspiring to target him and other activists for arrest, detention, and deportation. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, invokes the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871.

The plaintiff, Mahmoud Khalil, is a 31-year-old legal permanent resident married to a U.S. citizen. He was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at his Columbia-owned apartment building in March 2025 and spent over 100 days in federal detention. During that time, he missed the birth of his first child. While a judge later ordered his release, he continues to face the threat of deportation. Federal officials have stated they are seeking his removal under a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, alleging he poses a threat to U.S. foreign policy goals, including efforts to combat antisemitism. Khalil has not been charged with a crime.

The 131-page lawsuit names multiple defendants, including White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller,...