# # # # ### # # Authorities are examining every possibility that could explain Konanki's disappearance, Julia said. “Right now it runs the gamut from something accidental to foul play," Julia said. "It is all at this point under consideration. Nothing’s been ruled out.” Obtaining video, looking through cellphone evidence and talking to people who were with Konanki remains a high priority, Julia said. <img src="https://app.affine.pro/api/workspaces/qf73AF6vzWphbTJdN7KiX/blobs/uAUAFLbUtXMNbZFsfI2bLMfNIP5Tc9VJ7QpyjxXc6yw=.webp" width="851.0000234747296" height="850.9999647879059" crossorigin="anonymous" /> Authorities search in the coastal area of Bávaro, Dominican Republic, where Sudiksha Konanki disappeared. Defensa Civil La Altagracia La Altagracia Civil Defense, the local Dominican Republic emergency operations agency, said it was coordinating an extensive search. “Several brigades have been deployed by sea and land to find the whereabouts of the foreigner,” the [agency said in a statement on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/defensacivil.higuey/posts/pfbid02w8mYYyZ2CAxGxkxZKe339FfbZto6m4yt1cFAqSF6GYCsL4XNFvk1Fkgjb2zDiYZal?rdid=71yRqa6uDMJzwqDt#). A University of Pittsburgh spokesperson urged anyone with information on Konanki’s disappearance to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. “University officials are in contact with Sudiksha Konanki’s family as well as authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, and we have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely,” the spokesperson said. The Dominican Republic is classified as level 2 in the State Department's four-tier travel advisory rubric, meaning travelers are advised to [exercise "increased caution"](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/DominicanRepublic.html) traveling there. It warns that violent crime is a concern throughout the country. Federal immigration authorities arrested a Palestinian graduate student who played a prominent role in[protests against Israel at Columbia University](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hundreds-palestinian-protesters-arrested-campuses-universities-crack-e-rcna149705), according to his attorney. Mahmoud Khalil was inside a university-owned residence Saturday night near Columbia’s Manhattan campus when several Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered his apartment and took him into custody, his attorney, Amy Greer, told The Associated Press. Greer said she spoke by phone with one of the ICE agents during the arrest, who said they were acting on State Department orders to revoke Khalil’s student visa. Informed by the attorney that Khalil was in the United States as a permanent resident with a green card, the agent said they were revoking that too, according to the lawyer. The arrest appears to be among the first known actions under President Donald Trump’s pledge to deport international students who joined the protests against the war in Gaza that swept college campuses last spring. His administration has claimed participants forfeited their rights to remain in the country by supporting Hamas, a terror organization. When ICE agents arrived at the campus building Saturday, they also threatened to arrest Khalil’s wife, an American citizen who is eight months pregnant, Greer said. The authorities declined to say why Khalil was being arrested, according to the attorney. They were initially told he was transferred to an immigration detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey. But when Khalil’s wife tried to visit Sunday, she learned he was not there — and may have been transferred as far away as Louisiana, Greer said. <img src="https://app.affine.pro/api/workspaces/qf73AF6vzWphbTJdN7KiX/blobs/oKzJCK_jm1LA7gLUzbDt_WFyFfu0UZs9fysu_HRH4E8=.webp" width="851.0000871915598" height="566.5857964948992" crossorigin="anonymous" /> Student Mahmoud Khalil on the Columbia University campus in New York on April 29. Ted Shaffrey / AP “We have not been able to get any more details about why he is being detained,” Greer told the AP. “This is a clear escalation. The administration is following through on its threats.” In a statement to NBC News on Sunday, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlinsaid Khalil was arrested in coordination with ICE and the State Department “in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism.” Recommended[U.S. news](https://www.nbcnews.com/us-news)[An Arizona prisoner whose execution is coming up isn’t asking for a reprieve](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/arizona-prisoner-whose-execution-coming-isnt-asking-reprieve-rcna195583)[U.S. news](https://www.nbcnews.com/us-news)[Atlanta teacher’s body found a month after he disappeared on a Georgia lake, sheriff says](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/atlanta-teachers-body-found-month-disappeared-georgia-lake-sheriff-say-rcna195582) “Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization,” McLaughlin said. A Columbia spokesperson said law enforcement agents must produce a warrant before entering university property, but declined to say if the school had received one ahead of Khalil’s arrest. The spokesperson also declined to comment on Khalil’s detention. Messages seeking comment were left Sunday with the State Department and ICE. In a[message](https://x.com/marcorubio/status/1898858967532441945)shared on X Sunday evening, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration “will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.” The possibility of a link between vaccines and autism has been [repeatedly debunked](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/autism-vaccines-kennedy-cause-spectrum-rcna180837) by hundreds of scientific studies. But Kennedy made a profile for himself as an anti-vaccine crusader, criticizing the Covid-19 vaccine and [claiming childhood immunizations](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/trump-picks-rfk-jr-anti-vaccine-activist-health-human-services-secreta-rcna180182) are linked to autism. He also founded [Children’s Health Defense](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rfk-jr-childrens-health-defense-tax-revenue-loss-rcna179934), an anti-vaccine group. Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for HHS, said in a statement that the CDC is “delivering” on the “high quality research and transparency” Americans expect. <img src="https://app.affine.pro/api/workspaces/qf73AF6vzWphbTJdN7KiX/blobs/yzKwFtiCXrv_z0g8su1u7etn-HEgy1XbeJtDFzhk7wI=.webp" width="847.2342837213358" height="477.1250036329817" crossorigin="anonymous" /> # #
Authorities are examining every possibility that could explain Konanki's disappearance, Julia said.
“Right now it runs the gamut from something accidental to foul play," Julia said. "It is all at this point under consideration. Nothing’s been ruled out.”
Obtaining video, looking through cellphone evidence and talking to people who were with Konanki remains a high priority, Julia said.
Authorities search in the coastal area of Bávaro, Dominican Republic, where Sudiksha Konanki disappeared.
Defensa Civil La Altagracia
La Altagracia Civil Defense, the local Dominican Republic emergency operations agency, said it was coordinating an extensive search.
“Several brigades have been deployed by sea and land to find the whereabouts of the foreigner,” the agency said in a statement on Facebook.
A University of Pittsburgh spokesperson urged anyone with information on Konanki’s disappearance to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
“University officials are in contact with Sudiksha Konanki’s family as well as authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, and we have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely,” the spokesperson said.
The Dominican Republic is classified as level 2 in the State Department's four-tier travel advisory rubric, meaning travelers are advised to exercise "increased caution" traveling there. It warns that violent crime is a concern throughout the country.
Federal immigration authorities arrested a Palestinian graduate student who played a prominent role inprotests against Israel at Columbia University, according to his attorney.
Mahmoud Khalil was inside a university-owned residence Saturday night near Columbia’s Manhattan campus when several Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered his apartment and took him into custody, his attorney, Amy Greer, told The Associated Press.
Greer said she spoke by phone with one of the ICE agents during the arrest, who said they were acting on State Department orders to revoke Khalil’s student visa. Informed by the attorney that Khalil was in the United States as a permanent resident with a green card, the agent said they were revoking that too, according to the lawyer.
The arrest appears to be among the first known actions under President Donald Trump’s pledge to deport international students who joined the protests against the war in Gaza that swept college campuses last spring. His administration has claimed participants forfeited their rights to remain in the country by supporting Hamas, a terror organization.
When ICE agents arrived at the campus building Saturday, they also threatened to arrest Khalil’s wife, an American citizen who is eight months pregnant, Greer said. The authorities declined to say why Khalil was being arrested, according to the attorney.
They were initially told he was transferred to an immigration detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey. But when Khalil’s wife tried to visit Sunday, she learned he was not there — and may have been transferred as far away as Louisiana, Greer said.
Student Mahmoud Khalil on the Columbia University campus in New York on April 29.
Ted Shaffrey / AP
“We have not been able to get any more details about why he is being detained,” Greer told the AP. “This is a clear escalation. The administration is following through on its threats.”
In a statement to NBC News on Sunday, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlinsaid Khalil was arrested in coordination with ICE and the State Department “in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism.”
RecommendedU.S. newsAn Arizona prisoner whose execution is coming up isn’t asking for a reprieveU.S. newsAtlanta teacher’s body found a month after he disappeared on a Georgia lake, sheriff says
“Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization,” McLaughlin said.
A Columbia spokesperson said law enforcement agents must produce a warrant before entering university property, but declined to say if the school had received one ahead of Khalil’s arrest. The spokesperson also declined to comment on Khalil’s detention.
Messages seeking comment were left Sunday with the State Department and ICE.
In amessageshared on X Sunday evening, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration “will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
The possibility of a link between vaccines and autism has been repeatedly debunked by hundreds of scientific studies. But Kennedy made a profile for himself as an anti-vaccine crusader, criticizing the Covid-19 vaccine and claiming childhood immunizations are linked to autism. He also founded Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine group.
Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for HHS, said in a statement that the CDC is “delivering” on the “high quality research and transparency” Americans expect.
