**Columbia University Student Mahmoud Khalil Details Suffering Following Detention by Immigration Agents**

**Mahmoud Khalil, a student at Columbia University, recently addressed the charges against him for the first time since being detained by immigration agents in March. He outlined the profound and lasting damage his arrest has inflicted on him and his family.**

"I have endured - and continue to endure - immense suffering because of the government's actions against me," Khalil declared in a letter filed by his legal team on Thursday, as part of his pursuit of a preliminary injunction in his federal case.

Khalil highlighted the "immediate and visceral harms" his detention has caused, particularly relating to the birth of his son Deen. "Instead of holding my wife's hand in the delivery room, I was crouched on a detention center floor, whispering through a crackling phone line as she labored alone," he recounted. "I listened to her pain, trying to comfort her while 70 other men slept around me. When I heard my son's first cries, I buried my face in my arms so no one would see me weep."

His wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, was eight months pregnant when Khalil was apprehended on March 8 at their New York City apartment building. Despite her requests, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement denied his presence at the birth.

Khalil also lamented the profound emotional toll exacted by the separation from his family, describing the experience as "devastating."

In his statement, Khalil condemned President Donald Trump and the White House for propelling "grotesque and false" claims against him, asserting his arrest was politically motivated due to his involvement in organizing pro-Palestinian rallies on his campus.

A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security remarked, "It is a privilege to be granted a visa or green card to live and study in the United States of America." The statement further added, "When you advocate for violence, glorify and support terrorists that relish the killing of Americans, and harass Jews, take over buildings and deface property, that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country."

The DHS disclosed that Khalil was permitted a contact visit with his wife and son prior to his court appearance and was given the option of self-deportation. Nonetheless, the Department of Justice declined to comment, and ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

Khalil expressed deep dismay over seeing his mugshot disseminated with inflammatory language and false accusations, claiming such actions aimed to erase his humanity. He explained the impact of being labeled a "U.S. foreign policy concern" and accused of supporting Hamas, which he asserts are "deeply racist" and false allegations.

His attorney noted in a letter that Khalil's arrest has severely damaged his reputation, compromising his future aspirations in international diplomacy and human rights advocacy. Khalil had accepted a position at Oxfam International as a policy adviser, a job offer that was revoked following his detention. He believed the public stigma around his arrest played a crucial role in the job offer being rescinded.

Khalil's wife, in a separate declaration, described living in fear for their safety and detailed the amplified Islamophobia she has experienced as a Muslim woman wearing a hijab. She emphasized the far-reaching impact of Khalil's detention on their careers, life stability, and their son Deen's future.