An attorney for Mahmoud Khalil, the pro-Palestine protester facing the threat of deportation despite holding a green card, is being accused of being a “paid actor” after she read a statement on behalf of Khalil’s wife.
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Khalil’s arrest and detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for his role in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University has spurred widespread backlash and protests, as the government argues it has the right to strip Khalil of his green card on grounds of supporting terrorism.
Khalil’s wife, an American citizen, said in a statement read by one of his attorneys on Thursday that “his disappearance has devastated our lives.”
“My husband was kidnapped from our home and it’s shameful that the United States government continues to hold him because he stood for the rights and lives of his people,” she stated. “I demand his immediate release and return to our family.”
“So many who know and love Mahmoud have come together, refusing to stay silent,” she added. “Their support is a testament to his character and to the deep injustice of what is being done to him.”
On social media, a handful of critics of Khalil were quick to point out the woman who read the statement was not, in fact, Khalil’s wife—though she never claimed to be.
“For those who are confused. This is the Picture of Mahmoud Khalil wife,” condemned one X account. “The woman who gave the statement yesterday is a ‘Paid Actor.’”
For those who are confused.
This is the Picture of Mahmoud Khalil wife. The woman who gave the statement yesterday is a “Paid Actor” pic.twitter.com/sjSIER1h3e
— Adi 🎗 (@Adi13) March 13, 2025
“Hamas can’t win a war militarily, so they have invested in and focused on winning a propaganda war,” one user claimed in response to the aforementioned post. “The electronic intifada, they called it. Hamas uses actors, stages events, steals footage of other tragedies, lies, gets caught, doubles down. It’s Trumpian tactics at full scale.”
“I bet he has no pregnant wife! All made up for sympathy,” claimed another commenter.
However, the woman who read the statement never claimed to be Khalil’s wife. Rather, she was explicitly clear that she was not his wife before reading the statement.
“I’m a staff attorney for the CLEAR project and one of Mahmoud Khalil’s attorneys and I will be reading a statement on behalf of Mahmoud Khalil’s wife, who does not wish to be named,” attorney Shezza Abboushi Dallal said before beginning the statement.
The CLEAR project, which stands for Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility, says it “aims to address the legal needs of Muslim and other communities nationwide that are particularly affected by so-called ‘national security’ and ‘counterterrorism’ policies.”
But that hasn’t stopped the original circulator of the “paid actor” claim from doubling down, pointing out that she isn’t Khalil’s main attorney and hiding a number of replies calling out the inaccuracy.
The bad-faith framing, which duped a number of commenters, was quickly put on blast.
“Holy shit, the woman who read his wife’s statement yesterday was his attorney who said she was his attorney and said she was reading a statement by his wife, who wanted to remain out of public—for the obvious reason that psychopaths like this would come after her for simply existing. Disgraceful,” said journalist Ryan Grim.
“Paid actor in the sense that she was his lawyer lol,” noted someone else.
Stated one of the hidden replies: “The Women who gave statement clearly said ‘On Behalf of Mahmoud Khalil Wife.’ If you guy’s are dumb that’s not our problem.”
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