FBI File Reveals Lack of Evidence in Case of Palestinian Rights Activist Mahmoud Khalil

A recently released FBI file has cast doubt on the justifications used by the U.S. Government to arrest and seek the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a 31-year-old former Columbia University student and Palestinian rights activist. The documents reveal that while the Trump administration publicly labeled Khalil a “Hamas supporter” and a threat to national security, the FBI closed its investigation into him after finding no evidence to support those claims.

The Anonymous Tip and FBI’s Conclusion

The controversy centers on an anonymous tip received by the FBI on March 6, 2025. The tip alleged that Khalil—who was incorrectly listed in the file as a 22-year-old—had called for “violence on behalf of Hamas.”

However, internal documents show that the FBI did not find these allegations credible. By March 19, 2025, the agency had closed the investigation, determining that Khalil “does not warrant further FBI investigation.”

Despite this internal determination, the government’s actions against Khalil proceeded aggressively. Two days after the initial tip, on March 8, 2025, unidentified officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Khalil at his home. He was subsequently moved to a detention center in Louisiana, thousands of miles away from his home, where he was separated from his wife and newborn son for several months.

A Pattern of Targeting Student Activists

Khalil’s case appears to be part of a broader crackdown on students expressing support for Palestine or criticizing Israel. Legal representatives argue that the administration exploited an obscure provision in immigration law to claim that Khalil and other students, including Rümeysa Öztürk and Mohsen Mahdawi, presented a threat to U.S. Foreign policy interests.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who ordered Khalil’s deportation, has repeatedly claimed that the activist sympathized with terrorists, echoing narratives pushed by far-right doxing groups that had targeted Khalil prior to his arrest.

“Under Trump’s rogue presidency being led by extremists and conspiracy theorists,” said Hamid Bendaas, a spokesperson at the Institute for Middle East Understanding, “any of us can be kidnapped by federal agents in the middle of the night simply for speaking against U.S. Support for Israel’s genocide, no matter what the facts or Constitution says.”

The Legal Battle for Public Records

The FBI documents were not released voluntarily. The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), acting as part of Khalil’s legal team, submitted a public records request on May 29, 2025. After facing repeated denials and delays, the CCR filed a lawsuit on November 20, 2025, alleging that federal agencies, including the FBI, had improperly withheld the records.

Samah Sisay, a staff attorney at the CCR, stated that the document supports the argument that the administration had no legitimate reason to target Khalil other than his protected political speech. “Despite the FBI closing its investigation with no findings to support the accusation, the Trump administration continued to label Mr. Khalil a supporter of Hamas in public comments,” Sisay noted.

Zoha Khalili, a senior managing attorney at Palestine Legal, described the situation as representative of a broader tactic of “acting first and making up justifications later, with no regard for truth or the findings of the administration’s own experts.”

Current Legal Status

The Trump administration has fast-tracked Khalil’s deportation case, which his legal team argues is retaliation for First Amendment-protected speech. While the Board of Immigration Appeals recently rejected an appeal to terminate the deportation proceedings, Khalil’s team plans to appeal that decision.

Currently, Khalil cannot be deported as he continues to fight a separate federal habeas corpus case.

Key Takeaways

• FBI Findings: The FBI closed its investigation into Mahmoud Khalil by March 19, 2025, concluding he did not warrant further investigation.
• Government Claims: Despite the FBI’s findings, the Trump administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio continued to label Khalil a “Hamas supporter.”
• ICE Action: Khalil was arrested on March 8, 2025 and detained in Louisiana, separating him from his family.
• Legal Path: The evidence was uncovered via a FOIA lawsuit filed by the Center for Constitutional Rights.
• Broader Context: Khalil is one of several students targeted for deportation based on pro-Palestine advocacy.

As the federal habeas corpus case proceeds, the revelation of the FBI’s internal findings provides a critical piece of evidence for the defense’s claim that the deportation efforts are politically motivated rather than based on national security threats.