Cambridge: Nearly 80 Jewish affiliates at Harvard University, including over 30 faculty members, have signed a statement urging universities to condemn the arrest of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. The statement, released on Sunday, has garnered support from nearly 3,000 faculty members, staff, and students from universities across the United States.

According to Anadolu Agency, the statement was issued in response to the detention of Khalil, a green card holder and recent Columbia University graduate, known for organizing campus protests last year. The signatories expressed their unity in denouncing any misuse of claims of antisemitism to justify actions against campus community members, such as harassment, expulsion, arrest, or deportation.

The statement further urged universities to reject narratives that conflate pro-Palestine activism with antisemitism. It called on university leaders to take decisive actions, such as ceasing cooperation with federal immigration authorities, allocating institutional resources to secure Khalil's release, and protecting affiliates from potential retaliation by the Donald Trump administration for expressing their views.

Harvard University President Alan M. Garber criticized the Trump administration's decision to cut federal research funding but has largely remained silent on other actions, including Khalil's arrest, the $400 million funding cut to Columbia University over campus protests, and the $175 million penalty imposed on the University of Pennsylvania concerning its policies on transgender athletes.

Khalil's arrest took place on March 8 at his university-owned apartment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, following an order by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revoke his student visa and green card. The Trump administration has accused Khalil of engaging in activities aligned with Hamas, although no public evidence has been provided to substantiate these claims.