US AUTHORITIES detained a prominent pro-Palestinian student activist at his home in New York City at the weekend, claiming without evidence that his permanent residency had been revoked.

Mahmoud Khalil, an Algerian citizen of Palestinian origin and recent Columbia University post-graduate student, was detained by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents on Saturday.

As Mr Khalil and his pregnant wife, a US citizen, arrived home about 8.30pm on Saturday, two plainclothes DHS agents barged their way in.

“The agents initially refused to identify themselves, instead asking Khalil to confirm his identity before detaining him without explanation,” said the pro-Palestinian rights campaign group Writers Against the War on Gaza today.

“Later, the DHS agents stated that the US Department of State had revoked Khalil’s student visa, despite the fact that he has a green card, not a visa, and is a lawful permanent resident.”

According to Writers Against the War on Gaza, one of the DHS agents “showed Khalil what he claimed was a warrant on his phone.

“Khalil’s wife went into their apartment to retrieve his green card, while the agents remained with Khalil downstairs.

“When she returned, advising them of Khalil’s legal status and presenting them with Khalil’s green card, one agent was visibly confused and said on the phone, ‘He has a green card.’

“However, after a moment, the DHS agents stated that the State Department had ‘revoked that too.’

“Khalil’s wife then phoned his attorney, who spoke with the agents in an attempt to intervene. When Khalil’s attorney requested that a copy of the warrant be emailed to her, the agent hung up the call.”

Mr Khalil was taken to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement centre, pending an appearance before an immigration judge.

He has been an outspoken activist for Palestinian rights at Columbia University and acted as a negotiator between students and staff during a Gaza solidarity encampment last spring.

In January, Mr Trump issued an executive order aimed at deporting foreign “Hamas sympathisers” and revoking student visas of anyone protesting against Israel's destruction of Gaza.

An activist familiar with Mr Khalil’s solidarity work said: “The state has escalated its repression of student opposition to the US-backed genocide in Palestine, in which Columbia and all American universities are complicit.”

A petition demanding Mr Khalil's release from ICE custody can be found here: https://shorturl.at/Lm86S.