CAIR, CAIR-NY, Dratel & Lewis to Host Media Availability with Mahmoud Khalil, Advocates on Lawsuit Against Columbia U
(New York, NY, 2/6/26) - On Tuesday, February 10 at 10:00 a.m. ET, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), its New York chapter (CAIR-NY) and Dratel & Lewis plan to hold an online media availability with human rights advocate Mahmoud Khalil and his legal team regarding Khalil v. Columbia University, the litigation to stop Columbia’s brutal speech suppression regime surrounding Palestine as a direct result of ongoing financial threats from the Trump Administration. There will be an opportunity for reporter Q&A after the speakers.
What: Online media availability with Mahmoud Khalil and advocates
Who:
Speakers will include:
Deema Azizi, CAIR-NY, Senior Litigation Attorney
Zal K. Shroff, Assistant Prof. of Law, CUNY School of Law
Amy Greer, Associate, Dratel & Lewis
Mahmoud Khalil, Columbia University alum
Shay Orentlicher, current Columbia University student
Where: The event will be online, contact CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison at iallison@cair.com for access. A recording will be available after the event.
When: Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 10:00am
BACKGROUND:
The Trump Administration has used Columbia University as a test case to see if the administration could coerce an institution of learning into surveilling, suppressing, and punishing the protected political speech of its students on its behalf. This coercion of Columbia University was accomplished through a sustained campaign threatening and withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in University funding to suppress viewpoints it does not like — a process that began with the House Committee on Education and Workforce’s constant threats, harassment, and humiliation of Columbia beginning in late 2023. Columbia University—a school once known for its commitment to free expression—has capitulated to those threats in violation of students’ First Amendment rights.
The Court is currently considering whether to enjoin Columbia and the Trump Administration from targeting students for their political expression. The Court is also considering whether it will order Columbia and the Trump Administration to turn over critical records showing their collaboration and coordination in targeting students. We provide an update and explain these upcoming milestones for the case—and their significance for students and universities across the United States.
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CONTACT
Afaf Nasher, Esq. CAIR-NY Executive Director, ANasher@cair.com
CAIR-NY Communications Team, comms@ny.cair.com