The legal team of Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil released new videos Monday in records before his arrest in March, saying the government's argument contradicted the argument that he was flying risk, and officials said it was reasonable in custody without the arrest party.
Colombian activists who helped organize pro-Palestine rally on campus a year ago held at a detention center in Louisiana for two months. Syria-born green card holders have been fighting his detention and deportation since his arrest, a White House government’s commitment campaign to students protesting the Gaza war.
The five-minute security footage was obtained by Harrier’s legal team through a subpoena, which Columbia University complies with. The video has no sound and the face of the Icefield agent becomes blurred. The clip was transferred from Columbia University to Khalil's legal team for five hours.
The video begins in the lobby of Khalil's New York City apartment building, where he talks with his attorney on the phone and interacts with four ICE officials, while Khalil's wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, walks to the corridor. According to Khalil's legal team, Abdalla obtained Khalil's green card from the apartment.
Khalil can also be seen interacting with the Icefield agent and handing them twice to talk to the lawyers, his legal team said. Khalil seemed calm and collaborative, and at one point he seemed to laugh with the agent.
At the end of the video, Abdalla returns to the hall and gives Khalil a green card, which he handes to the agent. The video ended after Khalil handed over the green card to them.
The government said in court documents in April that the ICE agent allowed Abdalla to obtain Khalil's "conditional residence card, which is located in his apartment in lieu of arresting him", while Khalil and agents "stayed in the foyer".
The government said in court documents that agents asked Harrier to "cooperate while trying to verify his identity, but the defendant said he would not cooperate and he would leave the scene."
"The HSI supervisory agent believes there is a flight risk and requires arrest," the document said.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the newly released security video.
NBC News previously reported videos of his arrest moment, which showed Khalil collaborating and told the officer: "Yes, I'll come with you." The video was filmed by Hariel's wife.
Calil's legal team said the latest videos provide power for their battle.
"The world knows Ice has arrested Mahmoud in violation of the constitution," Ramzi Kassem, co-director of the Legal Aid Group at the New York City School of Law, said Monday. "The video is a nail in the coffin of Ice's lies after the government finally acknowledged that agents didn't even have an administrative warrant for Mahmoud's arrest: It shows that Mahmoud was calm and collected, and he never tried it."
Khalil has not been charged with crime, but the Trump administration believes he should be expelled from the country for his faith.
The government insists that it has the right to expel Khalil because he “led the activities consistent with the designated terrorist group Hamas.”
NBC News reviewed more than 100 pages of the federal government's efforts to expel Khalil, suggesting that the government appears to rely on unverified tabloid articles about him.
Last month, an immigration judge in Louisiana confirmed the federal government’s argument that Khalil’s belief threatens national security and justifies its deportation.
A few days later, New Jersey District Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled that Kahlil could continue to fight for freedom in federal court.
His legal team said, “will continue to work tirelessly until Mahmoud is free.”