Borders as Algorithms: The Arrest of Mahmoud Khalil and Digital Surveillance of Activists
Summary
The article discusses the unlawful arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and permanent US resident, by the Department of Homeland Security in March 2026. Khalil was detained without explanation by men in unmarked vehicles after advocating for Palestinian rights and an end to the genocide in Gaza. The piece examines how borders and algorithmic systems function as interconnected mechanisms of control, particularly targeting activists and marginalized communities. It critiques Columbia University's compliance with Trump administration surveillance requests targeting student protesters.
Source
bskyBorders as Algorithms: The Arrest of Mahmoud Khalil and Digital Surveillance of Activistsibraaz.orgKey quotes
· 3 pulledOn 8 March 2026, the US Department of Homeland security unlawfully arrested recent Columbia graduate and activist, Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent resident of the United States.
He was intercepted and detained by men in unmarked vehicles, who picked him up without explanation as he returned home from dinner with his wife.
Khalil's arrest came on the back advocating for a free Palestine and an end to the genocide in Gaza, while studying at Columbia – an institution that capitulated to the unlawful surveillance requested by the Trump administration into records of students participating in Palestine
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