Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
What happened
Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil Thursday began the process of suing President Donald Trump's administration for $20 million.
A claim filed by his lawyers alleges that Khalil was "falsely imprisoned, maliciously prosecuted and smeared as an antisemite" following his March 8 arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, said The Associated Press.
Who said what
The suit is "just the first step of accountability," Khalil told NBC News. The White House "has to pay for what it's doing against me or against anyone who opposes their fascist agenda." Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Khalil's suit was "absurd" and accused him of "hateful behavior and rhetoric."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Any settlement won by Khalil "would be shared with others he claimed were targeted by the Trump administration's efforts to subdue pro-Palestinian speech," said Forbes. This is the "first damages complaint" brought by an individual targeted in the "crackdown" on noncitizen Gaza war protesters, the Center for Constitutional Rights, which is representing Khalil, said in a statement. Khalil's case, and the administration's "tug-of-war with courts" over his detention, "represents a historic test for immigrants' speech rights," said Axios.
What next?
Thursday's filing, officially a "notice of claim for damages," is the "precursor to a lawsuit under the Federal Tort Claims Act," said the AP. Khalil, who was released on bail after 104 days in ICE detention, said he would also accept an "official apology and abandonment of the administration's unconstitutional policy."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
-
Can Gen Z uprisings succeed where other protest movements failed?Today's Big Question Apolitical and leaderless, youth-led protests have real power but are vulnerable to the strongman opportunist
-
DOJ indicts John Bolton over classified filesSpeed Read Continuing the trend of going after his political enemies, Trump prosecutes his former national security adviser
-
Trump, Putin set summit as Zelenskyy lands in DCSpeed Read Trump and Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest soon to discuss ending the war in Ukraine



