Public Comment

Jewish students at Columbia University took a bold stand on Wednesday, chaining themselves to campus gates in protest of the university’s role in the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a former student now held by ICE in Louisiana. Khalil, a legal permanent U.S. resident, was arrested on March 8 at his university-owned apartment, and his green card was revoked. Protesters demanded transparency from Columbia’s administration, suspecting university trustees—possibly new President Claire Shipman—of providing Khalil’s information to the Department of Homeland Security.

Student protesters, including members of Jewish Voice for Peace, emphasized that their actions challenge the false narrative that anti-Zionist protests are antisemitic. As one Jewish student noted, “You cannot weaponize antisemitism to harm our friends and peers.” The protest also underscored a broader concern: Columbia’s crackdown on dissent, which has disproportionately targeted Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students.

Despite the rain and the threat of arrest, students continued their demonstration overnight. Columbia security and New York police forcibly removed them, cutting their chains. Yet their message remains clear: Columbia must be held accountable for endangering students and collaborating with government repression. The fight for Khalil’s release is not just about one student—it is about standing against the silencing of political activism on campus.