Mahmoud Khalil, a 31-year-old former graduate student at Columbia University, has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that he was the target of a coordinated conspiracy between government officials and private groups. The legal action, initiated on Tuesday, contends that a “public-private partnership” was utilized to suppress criticism of Israel by doxing, jailing, and attempting to deport those who support the pro-Palestine movement.
The lawsuit identifies several high-profile defendants, including Stephen Miller, the Heritage Foundation, and two online surveillance organizations, Canary Mission and Betar. According to Khalil’s legal team, these actions may constitute a violation of the Ku Klux Klan Act, a Reconstruction-era law designed to prevent government coordination with vigilante groups. Khalil stated that the lawsuit serves as a pursuit of “accountability and justice,” noting that it represents a broader effort to combat a systemic plot to punish and intimidate those who advocate for Palestinian liberation.
Khalil, a legal permanent resident married to a U.S. citizen, became a prominent spokesperson for student activists protesting Israeli actions in Gaza. In March 2025, he was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at his campus apartment. He subsequently spent 104 days in a Louisiana immigration jail, a period during which he missed the birth of his first child. He was eventually released following an order from a federal judge in New Jersey.
The ongoing deportation case against Khalil has been treated as a priority by the Trump administration, moving rapidly through immigration courts and potentially reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. Khalil has consistently rejected allegations that his activism is rooted in antisemitism. “My beliefs are not wanting my tax money or tuition going toward investments in weapons manufacturers for a genocide,” he previously explained. He warned that this litigation is only the beginning, stating that additional legal actions are expected to follow.
Canary Mission is described in the suit as an anonymous, pro-Israel platform focused on blacklisting and intimidating activists, academics, and students across North America. As of Tuesday, representatives for the Heritage Foundation, Canary Mission, and Betar had not responded to requests for comment regarding the allegations.
