Homeland Security agents conducted searches in a pair of students’ rooms at Columbia University on Thursday, resulting in Katrina Armstrong, the interim president of the school, sharing that she was “heartbroken” in an update to the campus community.

“I am writing heartbroken to inform you that we had federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security in two University residences tonight,” she wrote. “No one was arrested or detained. No items were removed, and no further action was taken.”

The DHS agents served Columbia with two judicial search warrants signed by a federal magistrate judge, which met the university’s requirements for law enforcement to enter non-public areas.

Details surrounding the rooms searched and the purpose of the search were not immediately available.

Khalil is a permanent U.S. resident, but is Palestinian and was raised in Syria. He is married to an American citizen who is currently eight months pregnant.

When he was arrested, DHS said it was to protect U.S. national security, saying that Khalil “led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.”

Mahmoud Khalil speaking at an anti-Israel encampment on the Columbia University campus in New York on April 29, 2024.  (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, file)

Khalil’s attorney, Ramsi Kassem, said his client was “identified, targeted and detained” because of his advocacy for Palestinian rights and his protected speech. He said Khalil has no criminal convictions, but “for some reason, is being detained.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the Trump administration’s decision to arrest Khalil and said he distributed pro-Hamas propaganda fliers on campus.

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.