Columbia University Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Anti-Palestinian Bias

The complaint, filed in Manhattan federal court by Khalil, the SIPA Palestine Working Group, and president Mohammad Zubairi, argues that the university violated civil rights protections by failing to address bigotry directed at Arab and Muslim students. Khalil, a graduate student and green card holder, became a focal point of the controversy after his March 2025 arrest by federal immigration agents in his campus residence—an event that occurred without criminal charges being filed. He subsequently spent 104 days in a Louisiana jail, missing the birth of his child, and remains at risk of deportation.

At a press conference, Khalil characterized the university’s culture as one of institutionalized anti-Palestinian prejudice. The legal filing alleges that rather than investigating reported harassment, the administration treated student activism as a security threat, consistently revising conduct policies to discipline criticism of Israeli military actions. Columbia declined to discuss the specifics of the litigation, stating only that fostering a safe and inclusive environment remains a fundamental responsibility of the institution. This lawsuit adds to existing legal pressures on the university, which has already faced significant turmoil, including the resignation of its president and the long-term closure of its central campus walkway to manage protest-related tensions.