Federal agents arrested Columbia University student activist Mahmoud Khalil without a warrant, and then falsely implied one existed.

New court filings now confirm that there was no arrest warrant at all. Khalil, a legal U.S. resident and human rights advocate, has been held for over six weeks based on a politically motivated process that violates fundamental principles of fairness and due process.

The Department of Homeland Security initially claimed that Khalil was a "flight risk" when he calmly stated he would leave the area if agents could not verify their authority. Video evidence, witness accounts, and court admissions all point to a troubling truth: Khalil’s arrest was not conducted according to the law, but through deception and political pressure.

This is not just about one student. If federal agents can detain peaceful activists without a warrant, lie about the legal basis for doing so, and then justify it retroactively, no one’s rights are safe.

We demand that the U.S. government be held accountable for the unlawful and illegitimate arrest of Mahmoud Khalil. We call for the immediate termination of the proceedings against him and for his full release from detention. Political beliefs are not a crime, and lying to detain peaceful advocates cannot be allowed to stand.

(AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)