New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted [1] activist Mahmoud Khalil, along with Khalil’s wife Noor and their young son Deen, for a Ramadan dinner at Gracie Mansion on Sunday.
The gathering took place during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and coincided with the one-year anniversary of Khalil’s detention by federal immigration authorities.
Mamdani shared details of the event on social media the following day, posting a photo that showed the mayor’s wife, Rama Duwaji, holding a plate of food while standing next to Khalil as he sat at the table during the meal.
“Last night, as we marked the one year anniversary of his detention, Rama and I were honored to welcome Mahmoud, Noor, and their son Deen to Gracie Mansion to break our fast together,” Mamdani wrote in a Monday Instagram post.
Mahmoud Khalil’s org: “We are fightng for the total eradication of Western civilization.”
Mamdani just hosted him as an honored guest in his mansion. https://t.co/s7e23RRh8E [2] pic.twitter.com/hgTwLVdHVu [3]
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 10, 2026 [4]
Khalil, a Syrian-born activist and former graduate student at Columbia University, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement early last year.
Federal officials have sought his deportation after accusing him of committing fraud during the process of applying for a green card.
The Trump administration has also alleged that Khalil is a supporter of Hamas.
As part of the deportation effort, federal authorities invoked a rarely used legal provision that allows noncitizens to be deported if their beliefs are determined to pose a threat to United States foreign policy interests.
Following his arrest, Khalil spent approximately three months in federal custody at a detention facility in Louisiana.
During that period, his wife gave birth to their son. The child, the couple’s first, was born while Khalil remained in immigration detention several states away.
The child will turn one year old on April 21.
In June, a three-judge panel in New Jersey ruled that Khalil should have been allowed to continue navigating the immigration process outside detention, leading to his release.
Mamdani has publicly defended Khalil since the arrest and detention became a national political issue.
“For Mahmoud Khalil, this past year has been marked by profound hardship—and by profound courage,” Mamdani wrote in his Monday social media post about the dinner.
The mayor also described what he characterized as public support for Khalil in New York City following the detention.
“And yet, even in the face of that cruelty, there has also been beauty. New Yorkers raising their voices in solidarity. A city refusing to look away. Mahmoud won his freedom, and a father was finally reunited with his child,” Mamdani continued.
Mamdani further described Khalil as part of the New York City community.
“Mahmoud is a New Yorker, and he belongs in New York City,” the mayor wrote.
The dinner at Gracie Mansion brought Khalil together with Mamdani and his family during the religious observance, which includes nightly meals to break the daily fast observed during Ramadan.
The mayor’s support for Khalil has extended beyond social media posts.
Earlier this year, Mamdani spoke about the case during a press conference addressing other issues.
“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 at an unrelated press conference in January.
Khalil’s arrest and detention drew national attention and became part of broader political debates about immigration enforcement, free speech and national security concerns.
Federal authorities have argued that Khalil’s immigration case raises questions related to national security and foreign policy interests.
Supporters of Khalil have argued that his detention was unjustified and have organized public demonstrations and advocacy efforts on his behalf.
The meeting at Gracie Mansion reflects the mayor’s continued support for Khalil as the immigration case remains part of ongoing legal and political discussions.
Meanwhile, Mamdani’s wife supports the slaughter of Jewish people on October 7th…