STORY: Mahmoud Khalil vowed to resume his pro-Palestinian activism as he returned to New York a day after he was released on bail from a jail for immigrants, even as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration said it will continue its efforts to deport the recent Columbia University graduate.

He arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Saturday afternoon (June 21) to cheers and ululations from friends and supporters. Khalil, 30, was reunited with his wife, a U.S. citizen, and greeted at the airport by U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York.

"Not only if they threaten me with detention, even if they would kill me, I would still speak up for Palestine again," Khalil said, holding a bouquet of flowers. "I just want to go back and just continue the work that I was already doing, advocating for Palestinian rights, speech that should actually be celebrated rather than punished."

Khalil, who recently graduated from Columbia University in Manhattan, was a prominent figure in the pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel student protest movement that swept campuses last year. Federal immigration agents arrested him in the lobby of his Columbia apartment building on March 8, becoming the first target Trump's effort to deport international students with pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel views.

Ocasio-Cortez, speaking alongside Khalil at the airport, condemned the Trump administration for what she called "persecution based on political speech."

"They are violating the law, and they know that they are violating the law, and they are trying to use these one-off examples to intimidate everyone else from not going to school, from not using their speech," she said.

As Khalil left the airport, he raised his fist and said "Free Palestine!" drawing cheers from his supporters.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES (JUNE 21, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. CROWDS CHEERING AT THE AIRPORT AS FORMER COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT MAHMOUD KHALIL AND HIS WIFE WALK OUT

2. KHALIL GREETING SUPPORTERS/ PLACING A PALESTINIAN FLAG OVER HIS BABY'S STROLLER

3. KHALIL WAVING AND WALKING TOWARDS ELEVATOR

4. WHITE FLASH

5. KHALIL RETURNING TO ADDRESS JOURNALISTS

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT MAHMOUD KHALIL SAYING:

"Well, first, friends, thank you so much for everything, not only for today, it's just for every day. Like just your words, your words of support, your messages have kept me going. Still, the fight is far from over. The genocide is still happening in Gaza. Israel is still waging a full war against Palestinians, across Palestine. The US government is funding this genocide, and Columbia University is investing in this genocide. This is what I was protesting. This is what I will continue to protest with every one of you. Not only if they threaten me with detention, even if they would kill me, I would still speak up for Palestine. I'm, again, I just want to go back and just continue the work that I was already doing advocating for Palestinian rights—a speech that should actually be celebrated rather than punished as this administration wants to do."

7. WHITE FLASH

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT MAHMOUD KHALIL SAYING:

"Just the fact that I am here, it's a message. The fact that all these attempts to suppress pro-Palestine forces have failed now. So, this is the message. My existence is a message. The Palestinian existence is a message to this administration."

9. WHITE FLASH

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ, DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEW YORK, SAYING:

"I think the thing that we know first and foremost is that the Trump administration knows that they are waging a losing legal battle. They are violating the law, and they know that they are violating the law, and they are trying to use these one-off examples to intimidate everyone else from not going to school, from not using their speech, et cetera. And so we hope, we've seen that a judge has tossed out their actions, not just once, but twice, and we hope to continue to advocate for the administration to follow the law."

11. OCASIO-CORTEZ WALKING AWAY, KHALIL RAISING HIS ARM IN THE AIR AND SAYING "FREE PALESTINE" BEFORE LEAVING