Former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil filed a federal lawsuit in Manhattan on Tuesday against Trump administration officials and pro-Israel groups.
The suit, brought by the Center for Constitutional Rights, alleges a coordinated conspiracy to target and deport him for his advocacy.
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According to the complaint, federal authorities collaborated with online surveillance organizations to identify specific targets.
The lawsuit claims the strategic coordination used a policy framework developed by a conservative think tank, identified as "Project Esther."
This policy proposal allegedly laid the groundwork for administrative actions, creating a "public-private partnership" between government actors and external entities.
The legal team asserts that administration officials worked "hand-in-hand" with outside groups to execute the plan.
The complaint further alleges the administration aimed to suppress constitutional expression and target advocates based on their identity.
It describes a systematic mechanism to process non-citizen academics and students, involving identification, arrest, and deportation.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Khalil emphasized that his case addresses systemic efforts to silence political dissent.
"This case is about far more than what was done to me.
It’s about a coordinated, ongoing campaign to punish, silence, and intimidate anyone who dares to speak out for Palestinian liberation," he said.
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He added that the litigation aims to expose the network of organizations and political actors that criminalize solidarity with Palestine.
