Mayor Zohran Mamdani welcomed controversial anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil, along with his wife and young son, for a dinner at Gracie Mansion on Sunday to observe the holy month of Ramadan.
“Last night, on the one-year anniversary of his detention, Rama and I had the privilege of hosting Mahmoud, Noor, and their son Deen at Gracie Mansion to break our fast together,” Mamdani shared in an Instagram post on Monday.
A photo from the event was included in the post, showing Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, holding a plate of food next to Khalil, who was enjoying his meal.
Instagram / nycmayor
Khalil, a Syrian-born activist and former Columbia University grad student, was arrested by ICE early last year, and faces deportation after the Trump administration accused him of committing fraud on his green card application.
The Trump administration is using a seldom-used statute to deport Khalil, alleging that he is a supporter of Hamas and that his beliefs may pose a threat to US foreign policy interests.
“This past year has been a time of great difficulty and great courage for Mahmoud Khalil,” Mamdani expressed in his social media post on Monday.
“Despite facing cruelty, there have been moments of beauty. New Yorkers standing in solidarity. A city refusing to turn a blind eye. Mahmoud regained his freedom, and a father was reunited with his child,” the mayor added.
“Mahmoud is a New Yorker, and he belongs in New York City,” Hizzoner affirmed.
Mamdani has consistently defended Khalil, who spent three months in a federal detention center in Louisiana before a court ruling in June allowed him to continue the immigration process.
“I view this attack on him as part of a broader assault on freedom of speech, especially when it involves advocating for human rights policies,” the mayor stated at a press conference earlier this year.
