Fact Check: Khalil was the first arrested under Trump's crackdown on campus protests.

Fact Check: "Khalil was the first arrested under Trump's crackdown on campus protests."

What We Know

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and former graduate student at Columbia University, was arrested by federal immigration agents on March 8, 2025. His arrest is reported as the first under President Donald Trump's crackdown on students participating in campus protests against Israel's actions during the war in Gaza. Khalil's detention lasted for 104 days, during which he became a symbol of this crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism (AP News, Washington Post).

Khalil was not accused of any illegal activity during the protests but was targeted due to his vocal opposition to U.S. foreign policy regarding Israel and Palestine. The Trump administration's stance was that noncitizens expressing views deemed antisemitic could face deportation (NPR, New York Times).

Analysis

The claim that Khalil was the first arrested under Trump's crackdown is supported by multiple credible sources. The Associated Press states that Khalil's arrest was the first known deportation effort linked to the administration's crackdown on campus protests (AP News). Similarly, the Washington Post confirms that he was the first noncitizen activist targeted for deportation under this new policy (Washington Post).

The reliability of these sources is high; both the AP and Washington Post are established news organizations known for their journalistic integrity. The NPR report also corroborates this information, further affirming that Khalil's arrest marked the beginning of the administration's aggressive approach to suppressing dissent among student activists (NPR).

While some sources may have varying editorial slants, the core fact of Khalil being the first arrested is consistently reported across multiple outlets, indicating a strong consensus on this point.

Conclusion

Verdict: True. The evidence clearly supports the claim that Mahmoud Khalil was the first individual arrested under President Trump's crackdown on campus protests. This assertion is backed by multiple reputable news sources, all confirming the timeline and context of his arrest.

Fact Check: Khalil was the first arrested under Trump's crackdown on campus protests.