Mahmoud Khalil , a former student at Columbia University , refused to directly condemn Hamas during a live interview on CNN, the US department of homeland security (DHS) said in a post on X on Tuesday.
Khalil was arrested in March for leading a pro-Palestinian protest in New York City. During the interview, the CNN anchor asked him if he condemned the group labelled a terrorist organisation by the US. Khalil did not give a yes or no answer. Instead, he said, “It’s disingenuous to ask about condemning Hamas while the Palestinians are the ones being starved now by Israel,” and added, “I hate this selective conversation.”
The anchor responded, saying the question was relevant given that the Trump administration had accused Khalil of sympathising with Hamas. “It is very important to actually ask that question in this broad conversation,” she said.
Khalil ended the exchange by saying, “I simply asked and protested the war in Palestine.”
In response, the DHS posted: “Mahmoud Khalil refuses to condemn Hamas because he is a terrorist sympathiser, not because DHS ‘painted’ him as one. He ‘branded’ himself as an antisemite through his own hateful behaviour and rhetoric.”
They added that getting a US visa or green card was a “privilege” and that the Trump administration had the legal authority to detain Khalil. “This is what happens with any alien who supports terrorists, advocates violence, harasses Jews, or damages property,” DHS wrote.
Khalil was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in early March. Later, the US government accused him of hiding details about past work for UNRWA, a UN agency, on his visa application, which they said could be grounds for deportation.
Khalil was arrested in March for leading a pro-Palestinian protest in New York City. During the interview, the CNN anchor asked him if he condemned the group labelled a terrorist organisation by the US. Khalil did not give a yes or no answer. Instead, he said, “It’s disingenuous to ask about condemning Hamas while the Palestinians are the ones being starved now by Israel,” and added, “I hate this selective conversation.”
The anchor responded, saying the question was relevant given that the Trump administration had accused Khalil of sympathising with Hamas. “It is very important to actually ask that question in this broad conversation,” she said.
Khalil ended the exchange by saying, “I simply asked and protested the war in Palestine.”
Mahmoud Khalil refuses to condemn Hamas because he IS a terrorist sympathizer not because DHS ‘painted’ him as one. He ‘branded’ himself as antisemite through his own hateful behavior and rhetoric.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 22, 2025
It is a privilege to be granted a visa or green card to live and study in the… pic.twitter.com/nC2WCR6Dul
In response, the DHS posted: “Mahmoud Khalil refuses to condemn Hamas because he is a terrorist sympathiser, not because DHS ‘painted’ him as one. He ‘branded’ himself as an antisemite through his own hateful behaviour and rhetoric.”
They added that getting a US visa or green card was a “privilege” and that the Trump administration had the legal authority to detain Khalil. “This is what happens with any alien who supports terrorists, advocates violence, harasses Jews, or damages property,” DHS wrote.
Khalil was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in early March. Later, the US government accused him of hiding details about past work for UNRWA, a UN agency, on his visa application, which they said could be grounds for deportation.
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