Protesters Demand Release of Columbia Student at Trump Tower, Nearly 100 Arrested

Protesters from Jewish Voice for Peace occupied the lobby of Trump Tower in New York City on March 13, demanding the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student arrested by immigration agents due to his pro-Palestinian activism. The demonstration, which drew an estimated 150 participants, included chants and banners criticizing the Trump administration's approach to immigration and free speech. Khalil, a permanent U.S. resident, faces deportation despite not being charged with any crime, with his supporters arguing that his arrest is retaliatory. The NYPD arrested 98 protesters on charges such as trespassing, but reported no injuries during the protest. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the administration's actions, stating that the issue was about legal immigration status rather than free speech rights. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers and civil liberties advocates, have expressed outrage over Khalil's detention, seeing it as part of a broader crackdown on dissent.