Trump admin. tells court it did not have warrant to arrest Columbia student, but argues it didn’t need one

On Monday, March 10, 2025, a group of demonstrators supporting Palestine marched in Lower Manhattan, New York City under the banner of “Release Mahmoud Khalil, Hands Off Our Students, ICE off Our Campus.” The protesters were advocating for the release of Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil.

In recent news, the Trump administration informed a court that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Khalil without a warrant, arguing that they deemed him a flight risk and therefore justified the warrantless arrest. The government contended that Khalil, a U.S. permanent legal resident, did not have his required alien registration card, refused to cooperate with the agents, and indicated verbally that he intended to leave.

Khalil, who is married to a U.S. citizen, was taken into custody on March 8, sparking legal efforts by his attorneys to prevent his deportation. The Trump administration is seeking to remove Khalil due to his advocacy for Palestine during the conflict in Gaza, citing potential adverse foreign policy consequences. Khalil’s lawyers have challenged the legality of his detention without a warrant, arguing for the dismissal of the case against him.

The latest developments in the case have revealed discrepancies between the government’s claims and previous descriptions of Khalil’s arrest, raising questions about the validity of the administration’s actions. Attorney Amy Greer, who represents Khalil, highlighted the absence of a warrant during the arrest and criticized the government’s attempts to justify the detention.