Lawyers representing Mahmoud Khalil have filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking records of communications between the Trump administration and several anti-Palestinian organizations they allege played a key role in targeting Khalil prior to his arrest.
Khalil, a legal permanent U.S. resident married to a citizen, has been held in detention in Louisiana for over two months. His arrest by federal agents came after he was falsely identified as a visa violator—a claim reportedly fueled by misinformation spread by a network of hardline pro-Israel groups.
According to a statement from the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), which is part of Khalil’s legal team, these organizations have long collaborated to doxx and harass pro-Palestinian activists. The statement claims that under the Trump administration, these groups gained increased access and influence, allegedly helping to drive a crackdown on students and academics critical of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
“All known cases of ICE targeting individuals for their political views on Palestine—such as Khalil, Dr. Badar Khan Suri, Rümeysa Öztürk, Mohsen Mahdawi, Momodou Taal, and Efe Ercelik—were first flagged by these anti-Palestinian groups,” the CCR said.
Attorney Ayla Kadah, a Justice Fellow at CCR, stated that the case suggests “collusion between the Trump administration and private actors to suppress Palestinian advocacy through detention and deportation.” She added, “Mahmoud deserves answers, and so does the public.”
One group named in the FOIA request is Canary Mission, an anonymous website known for publishing personal information about pro-Palestinian activists. In January, Canary Mission posted a profile of Khalil. Shortly after, Betar USA—linked to the ultranationalist Zionist Betar movement—named Khalil on a “deport list” and claimed it had informed federal officials of his location.
On March 7, the day before Khalil was taken into custody, the group Documenting Jew Hatred on Campus posted a call for his deportation on X, tagging then-Secretary of State Marco Rubio. That group’s advisory board includes Shai Davidai, a Columbia University professor previously suspended for harassment.
The FOIA request seeks all communications between federal agencies—including ICE, DOJ, DHS, and the State Department—and a number of groups alleged to have targeted Khalil, including Canary Mission, Betar, Documenting Jew Hatred on Campus, Columbia Alumni for Israel, Middle East Forum, Shirion Collective, Capital Research Center, and CAMERA. It also asks for records of any contact between these agencies and individuals involved in efforts to surveil, doxx, or call for the deportation of Khalil and other pro-Palestinian students.
Khalil’s legal team is challenging the constitutionality of his arrest, asserting that it was politically motivated and based on false information.
