Mamdani Hosts Pro-Palestinian Activist Mahmoud Khalil Accused of Hamas Support

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil and his family at Gracie Mansion on Sunday night for a Ramadan iftar dinner, drawing criticism from commentators and political figures who say the visit signaled support for a highly controversial figure facing deportation proceedings.

Mamdani publicly celebrated the visit in a social-media post marking the anniversary of Khalil’s detention by federal immigration authorities last year. Khalil, a Syrian-born former Columbia University graduate student, became a prominent figure in anti-Israel protest movements on American campuses and later found himself at the center of a high-profile immigration case pursued by the Trump administration.

“For Mahmoud Khalil, this past year has been marked by profound hardship—and by profound courage,” Mamdani wrote. In the same post, the mayor described Khalil’s detention as unjust and framed the activist’s case as part of a broader struggle over political expression.

Mamdani also highlighted the symbolism of welcoming Khalil and his family to the official mayoral residence. “Mahmoud is a New Yorker, and he belongs in New York City,” the mayor wrote.

Khalil rose to prominence during demonstrations tied to the war in Gaza, where student protest movements organized rallies and encampments criticizing Israel and demanding that universities sever ties with Israeli institutions. Supporters have described him as a civil-rights activist advocating for Palestinian causes, while critics accuse him of aligning with extremist rhetoric within the broader protest movement.

Critics have also pointed to rhetoric from organizations linked to the campus protest movement Khalil helped represent, including statements calling for the “total eradication of Western civilization,” which they say reflects anti-Western and anti-Israel agendas.

Khalil’s legal troubles began last year when federal immigration authorities detained him and launched deportation proceedings. The Trump administration accused him of supporting Hamas-aligned activism and pursued his removal from the country under a rarely used authority tied to foreign-policy concerns. He spent months in federal custody at a detention facility in Louisiana before being released while his legal battle continued. 

Mamdani has repeatedly defended Khalil, arguing that the deportation effort represents a threat to political speech. “I see this attack on him as part of a larger attack on the freedom of speech that is especially pronounced when it comes to the use of that speech to stand up for policy to human rights,” Mamdani said earlier this year.

The mayor’s decision to host Khalil at Gracie Mansion quickly sparked criticism from commentators and activists who argue that honoring the activist at the official residence of the city’s mayor sent a troubling political message.

“Mamdani broke his Ramadan fast with Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Hamas student who was ordered to be deported by the Trump admin for supporting Islamic terrorism on U.S. soil,” conservative commentator Laura Loomer wrote on social media.

Actor and commentator Michael Rapaport also reacted online, writing: “Guess who had dinner at Gracie Mansion with the morons? Muhammad Khalil!!!”

The controversy was further amplified by the timing of the event. The dinner took place one day after authorities arrested two suspects accused of carrying out an ISIS-inspired improvised explosive device attack near Gracie Mansion during a protest. While Mamdani and his wife were not at the residence when the attack occurred, critics argued that the mayor’s decision to publicly honor Khalil so soon afterward intensified concerns about his handling of extremism-related issues.