Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil releases memoir about ICE detention and deportation fight
The new book, titled No Land to Stand On, details Khalil's experience in a Louisiana ICE jail and his separation from his wife, Noor Abdalla, and newborn son, Deen. He alleges the Trump administration targeted him for his campus activism and has yet to face any criminal charges. Khalil is pursuing civil lawsuits against the government and Columbia University over his treatment. The memoir also shares stories of other detainees, highlighting broader concerns about the U.S. immigration detention system.
Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has authored No Land to Stand On: Notes from Detention, chronicling his 104 days in a Louisiana ICE facility after being pursued for deportation by the Trump administration due to his pro-Palestine work at Columbia University. The detention caused him to miss the birth of his first child, Deen, while his wife, Noor Abdalla, a U.S. citizen, remained outside. Khalil asserts that, despite eighteen months passing, he has not been charged with any crime or presented with evidence, attributing the continued effort to his Palestinian identity.
He has filed civil rights lawsuits against both the federal government and Columbia University over the episode. The memoir expands beyond his own case, describing encounters with other detainees and underscoring the human toll of America’s immigration detention practices.
