NEW YORK — Student activist Mahmoud Khalil was welcomed by New York City (NYC) Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion on March 9, 2026, a year after his arrest by federal authorities for protesting Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Khalil attended the intimate iftar with his wife and young son, sharing a meal with the mayor and his wife Rama Duwaji.
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Khalil was detained on March 9, 2025, at his residence at Columbia University by agents of the US Department of Homeland Security. Authorities said he had participated in protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of over 72,000 Palestinians. He was flown to Louisiana and held in an ICE facility for several months, during which he missed the birth of his first child.
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Mayor Mamdani highlighted the courage Khalil demonstrated while exercising his First Amendment rights, noting that the student’s activism led to widespread support from the people of New York. The collective advocacy and legal efforts eventually secured Khalil’s release in June 2025, reuniting him with his family. Although a later court appeal overturned the ruling that freed him, Khalil has not been re-arrested.
Mamdani described Khalil as “a New Yorker, and he belongs in New York City,” emphasizing the city’s commitment to protecting the rights of its residents, including those who engage in peaceful protest.
Rights groups, academics, and ordinary citizens had widely condemned Khalil’s arrest, which came during President Donald Trump’s second term, after he included the detention of pro-Palestinian protesters as part of his campaign promises. Khalil’s case became a focal point for national discussions on civil liberties and the treatment of activists in the United States.
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The mayor expressed that hosting Khalil and his family was an honor, calling the gathering a symbol of resilience and civic solidarity in the face of government overreach.