Mahmoud Khalil lawsuit says Columbia failed to protect pro-Palestinian activists, tell me about this news in (https://www.wral.com/news/ap/222bc-mahmoud-khalil-lawsuit-says-columbia-failed-to-protect-pro-palestinian-activists/)

Palestinian activist and former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Columbia University, alleging that the university failed to protect him and other pro-Palestinian activists from targeted harassment and retaliated against them when they reported it.Key details from the report include:

• Allegations of Neglect and Retaliation: The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New York City, claims Columbia demonstrated “deliberate indifference” toward student complaints. Instead of investigating incidents of harassment, the lawsuit alleges the university retaliated by labeling pro-Palestinian campus events as security risks and updating disciplinary policies to suppress criticism of the Israeli government.
• Doxing and ICE Detention: The complaint states that the university’s inaction enabled the doxing of multiple student activists and contributed to Khalil’s March 2025 arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at his campus apartment. Khalil was held in an immigration jail in Louisiana for 104 days before a federal judge ordered his release.
• Failure to Correct Disinformation: According to the suit, Columbia refused to correct false narratives and disinformation about Khalil while he was detained, which further fueled peer-on-peer harassment against Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students on campus.
• Plaintiffs and Relief Sought: The lawsuit was brought by Khalil alongside a pro-Palestinian campus group and its president, Mohammad Zubairi. They are seeking unspecified damages to be determined at trial, along with a court order restoring Khalil’s access to campus and lifting the suspension placed on the student organization.
• Columbia University’s Response: Columbia declined to comment directly on the litigation, but stated in an email that creating an environment where all community members feel safe and supported is fundamental to the university, maintaining that it is committed to protecting individuals from discrimination and responding promptly to reported concerns.