Former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, who was detained for 104 days and is currently battling against his deportation, shared his thoughts about his experiences and his new memoir “No Land to Stand On” at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis Oct. 1, 2026.
Moon Palace Books and the Sahan Journal hosted the sold-out event at the Riverview, which featured Khalil in conversation with Sahan Journal’s executive director, Vanan Murugesan. Khalil is on a book tour, sponsored by Macmillan Publishers.
Khalil was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in March 2025 and held in detention for 104 days in Louisiana. He had been publicly active and outspoken about Palestinian rights in the war in Gaza.
“I do not think of myself as an activist,” he said, explaining that standing up for his people’s rights does not define him as an activist.
Khalil is a Palestinian, born in a Syrian refugee camp. He fled Syria at age 18 and holds Algerian citizenship. He spent time in Lebanon studying at the Lebanon American University while working with Syrian refugees. He came to the US in 2022 to study at Columbia.
Khalil’s 17-month-old son was born while he was in ICE captivity. He said he now takes “the morning shift” to care for his son. “I spend my days going through legal tomes,” he said.
While fighting deportation, he is also suing Columbia University.
When asked what bothered him most about Columbia’s actions, he said it was its one-sided statements regarding its Palestinian students, and not standing up for them and their rights of free speech.
“I am thankful people are learning more about the Palestinians and their aspirations,” he said. “We are doctors, lawyers and engineers and have dreams.”
When asked his thoughts about the ICE surge in Minneapolis and the response of its citizens, Khalil said he considers ICE to be a militia. “It was reminiscent of Syria and some of the acts of terrorism by the administration. I am glad people stood up to a bully, but it was unfortunate it took the killings of two white Americans before there was so much resistance. So many immigrants had faced this before.”
Khalil said that what keeps him going right now is the support of the people. “There is so much exhaustion, but we are winning. We just need to keep pushing.”
He added that simply spending time around his friends brings him joy.
Khalil said that things happening behind the scenes are a stain on the country. “It is all about whether people can speak out freely or not.”
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