The Israel-Hamas war: the Trump administration's bid to deport student activists

Gone quiet · last story Jul 21, 2026

What this arc covers

The Trump administration's efforts in 2025 and 2026 to detain and deport noncitizen students and activists over pro-Palestinian protests: the arrests of Mahmoud Khalil and of Mohsen Mahdawi at his citizenship interview, the court fights over their detention and release, a judge's ruling that the administration unconstitutionally targeted noncitizens over the protests, and the case of a Tufts student.

Mahmoud Khalil

Earliest story we hold Mar 9, 2025 · 24 stories · 135 independent sources (counted once each) · 499 days

Part ofMahmoud KhalilColumbia UniversityIsraelLouisianaVermontDonald TrumpNew JerseyNew York

Part of Trump's immigration crackdown

  1. Trump's order to end birthright citizenshipDec 8, 2024 – Sep 2, 2026
  2. Trump's deportations of migrants to third countries, from Panama to South SudanFeb 5, 2025 – Sep 29, 2026
  3. The Israel-Hamas war: the Trump administration's bid to deport student activistsThis arcMar 9, 2025 – Jul 21, 2026
  4. Trump's travel bans, from the June 2025 order to its expansionMar 15 – Dec 31, 2025
  5. Kilmar Abrego García's wrongful deportation and prosecutionApr 1, 2025 – Aug 18, 2026
  6. The conviction of Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan over an ICE arrestApr 25, 2025 – Jul 7, 2026
  7. Trump's deployments of the National Guard to Los Angeles, Chicago and PortlandJun 8 – Dec 31, 2025
  8. Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention center in the EvergladesJun 24, 2025 – Sep 14, 2026
Show remaining 9 arcs
  1. Trump's push to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and SyriansJul 1, 2025 – Aug 20, 2026
  2. The fight over ICE agents' masks, body cameras and shock glovesOct 16, 2025 – Sep 1, 2026
  3. Gregory Bovino's exit from Chicago and Minneapolis and his retirementOct 28, 2025 – Sep 1, 2026
  4. Don Lemon's arrest and prosecution over an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota churchJan 19 – Sep 12, 2026
  5. The 2026 Homeland Security shutdown over Democrats' ICE demandsJan 25 – Apr 28, 2026
  6. Deaths in ICE custody during Trump's second termMar 16 – Sep 22, 2026
  7. Trump's search for an ICE director after Todd Lyons stepped downApr 17 – Sep 17, 2026
  8. The protests and investigations at New Jersey's Delaney Hall detention centerMay 30 – Aug 7, 2026
  9. The Justice Department's suits against in-state tuition for undocumented studentsJul 16 – Sep 10, 2026

Part of The Israel-Hamas war

  1. Israel's wartime unity government and Gantz's break with NetanyahuOct 11, 2023 – Jun 17, 2024
  2. The ICC warrants and the genocide accusationsOct 15, 2023 – Jun 23, 2026
  3. The push to recognize a Palestinian stateDec 12, 2023 – Sep 16, 2026
  4. Trump's plan to take over Gaza and move Palestinians outJan 26 – Sep 18, 2025
  5. the Trump administration's bid to deport student activistsThis arcMar 9, 2025 – Jul 21, 2026
  6. The fight over Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar's removalMar 16 – Mar 31, 2025
  7. The activist boats that tried to break Gaza's blockadeMay 2, 2025 – May 20, 2026
  8. Trump's peace plan, the 2025 cease-fire and what followedSep 25, 2025 – Sep 27, 2026
Show remaining 8 arcs
  1. The warnings, failures and inquiries around the October 7 attackOct 7, 2023 – Sep 8, 2026
  2. Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on IsraelOct 7, 2023 – May 12, 2026
  3. Israel's offensives in Gaza and the civilian tollOct 7, 2023 – Sep 16, 2025
  4. The hostages and the cease-fire talks, 2023-2025Oct 7, 2023 – Oct 5, 2025
  5. US backing for Israel and the pressure over its conductOct 7, 2023 – Sep 26, 2025
  6. The protests in the US over the warOct 8, 2023 – Mar 31, 2024
  7. Hunger, famine and the fight over aid to GazaOct 9, 2023 – Jul 23, 2026
  8. The campus protests and the fight over antisemitismOct 9, 2023 – Sep 21, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Jul 21– 222026Appeals court reverses decision that freed pro-Palestinian Columbia activist Mohsen Mahdawi18 articles · 18 independent sources
3 left, 2 center, 5 right
Jul 14– 152026Mahmoud Khalil files suit alleging a 'public-private' conspiracy to target Israel's critics30 articles · 29 independent sources
8 left, 5 center, 5 right
Mar 16– 172026Palestinian protester held in immigration detention for over a year is released23 articles · 17 independent sources
4 left, 4 center, 0 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Mar 9 – 13, 2025Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil will remain in ICE detention in Louisiana after first court hearing93 articles · 49 independent sources
  2. Apr 9 – 12, 2025Immigration judge rules that Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil can be deported63 articles · 48 independent sources
    1. Apr 9, 2025Only lean-left coverage:Immigration judge to rule Friday on detained activist Mahmoud Khalil
    2. Apr 10, 2025Immigration judge finds that Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil can be deported
  3. Apr 14 – 15, 2025A Palestinian activist expecting a US citizenship interview is arrested instead by ICE in Vermont29 articles · 26 independent sources
  4. Sep 30 – Oct 1, 2025Judge finds the Trump administration unconstitutionally targeted noncitizens over Gaza war protests22 articles · 22 independent sources
  5. Jul 14 – 15, 2026Mahmoud Khalil files suit alleging a 'public-private' conspiracy to target Israel's critics30 articles · 29 independent sources

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Mar 2025Jun 2025Sep 2025Dec 2025Apr 2026Jul 2026

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Mar 3, 202545222
Mar 10, 2025192111106
Mar 17, 2025410022
Mar 31, 202508318
Apr 7, 2025816960
Apr 14, 202527126
Apr 28, 202548119
May 26, 202515113
Jun 9, 202578630
Jun 16, 202574723
Sep 29, 202564420
Oct 20, 20251206
Jan 12, 202621312
Feb 9, 202633018
Feb 16, 20262028
Mar 16, 202644020
Jul 13, 202685527
Jul 20, 202632515

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

34% left · 49% center · 17% right of 135 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 24 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. March 2025

    Mar 9ICE arrests Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University protests, his lawyer says22 articles · 18 independent sources
    4 left, 4 center, 2 right
  2. Mar 9– 13Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil will remain in ICE detention in Louisiana after first court hearing93 articles · 49 independent sources
    18 left, 16 center, 8 right
  3. Mar 10– 11Arrest of Palestinian activist stirs questions about protections for students and green card holders11 articles · 9 independent sources
    0 left, 4 center, 0 right
  4. Mar 14Columbia's Mahmoud Khalil felt he was being kidnapped as detention unfolded, lawyers say6 articles · 6 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 2 right
  5. Mar 14– 21Detained Columbia University student activist Mahmoud Khalil appears in immigration case11 articles · 11 independent sources
    3 left, 4 center, 2 right
  6. Mar 19Federal judge orders Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil’s case to be moved to New Jersey10 articles · 10 independent sources
    2 left, 5 center, 0 right
  7. Mar 19Columbia grad says detention is indicative of anti-Palestinian racism in the US5 articles · 3 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right

  8. April 2025

    Apr 1– 2Judge rejects Trump administration’s bid to move Mahmoud Khalil’s legal case to Louisiana20 articles · 19 independent sources
    0 left, 8 center, 3 right
  9. Apr 9– 12Immigration judge rules that Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil can be deported63 articles · 48 independent sources
    8 left, 16 center, 9 right
  10. Apr 14– 15A Palestinian activist expecting a US citizenship interview is arrested instead by ICE in Vermont29 articles · 26 independent sources
    2 left, 7 center, 1 right
  11. Apr 30Judge releases a Palestinian student activist who was arrested at his US citizenship interview21 articles · 17 independent sources
    4 left, 8 center, 1 right

  12. May 2025

    May 29Trump admin's effort to deport Mahmoud Khalil is likely unconstitutional, judge rules15 articles · 14 independent sources
    1 left, 5 center, 1 right

  13. June 2025

    Jun 11– 12Federal judge rules anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil cannot be deported or detained by Trump admin10 articles · 10 independent sources
    0 left, 4 center, 5 right
  14. Jun 12Judge says government must release Columbia protester Mahmoud Khalil, but has until Friday to appeal6 articles · 6 independent sources
    3 left, 2 center, 0 right
  15. Jun 12– 14Judge denies Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil's request for release16 articles · 11 independent sources
    4 left, 2 center, 2 right
  16. Jun 20– 21Ex-Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil released from ICE detention after judge's order24 articles · 21 independent sources
    7 left, 4 center, 7 right

  17. September 2025

    Sep 30– Oct 1Judge finds the Trump administration unconstitutionally targeted noncitizens over Gaza war protests22 articles · 22 independent sources
    6 left, 4 center, 4 right

  18. October 2025

    Oct 21Mahmoud Khalil appears in appeals court as Trump administration continues efforts to deport him6 articles · 4 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right

  19. January 2026

    Jan 15Appeals court reverses decision that freed pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil15 articles · 14 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 3 right

  20. February 2026

    Feb 10Immigration judge rejects Trump effort to deport pro-Palestinian Tufts student21 articles · 17 independent sources
    3 left, 3 center, 0 right
  21. Feb 18Judge blocks deportation of Palestinian activist who led protests at Columbia9 articles · 9 independent sources
    2 left, 0 center, 2 right

  22. March 2026

    Mar 16– 17Palestinian protester held in immigration detention for over a year is released23 articles · 17 independent sources
    4 left, 4 center, 0 right

  23. July 2026

    Jul 14– 15Mahmoud Khalil files suit alleging a 'public-private' conspiracy to target Israel's critics30 articles · 29 independent sources
    8 left, 5 center, 5 right
  24. Jul 21– 22Appeals court reverses decision that freed pro-Palestinian Columbia activist Mohsen Mahdawi18 articles · 18 independent sources
    3 left, 2 center, 5 right