- Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student and Syrian-born permanent U.S. resident can be deported over his pro-Palestinian activism, according to a federal immigration judge. However, the deportation case is still ongoing as legal proceedings continue.
- The government argues Khalil poses a threat to U.S. foreign policy and also cites an immigration law invoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- Khalil’s lawyers claim the case is a violation of his free speech rights and that his detention was politically motivated.
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Former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil can be deported over his involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, a federal immigration judge ruled Friday, April 11.
However, the deportation will not happen immediately, as Khalil’s legal team—which argues the case is politically motivated—will be allowed to contest the decision before a final ruling is made. The judge gave Khalil’s lawyers until April 23 to respond.
The decision came from a Louisiana federal court in a closely watched case. The government is seeking to remove Khalil, who grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria and holds permanent residency in the U.S., from the country due to his pro-Palestinian activism on Columbia’s campus.
Khalil’s arrest in March
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Khalil, 30, on March 8 inside his university-funded Manhattan apartment.
One day after his arrest, Khalil was transferred to a detention center in Jena, Louisiana, more than 1,000 miles from his home. His legal team is challenging his detention in both immigration court and in a New Jersey federal court. They filed a habeas corpus petition arguing his arrest violated his First Amendment right to free speech. His legal team also claims he was targeted solely for his political beliefs.
Federal government’s case against Khalil
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE justified the arrest. They used an immigration law that allows the secretary of state to deport noncitizens deemed a threat to U.S. foreign policy interests.
At the first immigration hearing Tuesday, April 8, Judge Jamee Comans ordered the government to present evidence to support its deportation effort. By Wednesday, the government submitted a two-page memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio arguing that Khalil’s participation in “antisemitic protests and disruptive activities” created a hostile environment for Jewish students.
Rubio said that Khalil’s presence undermines U.S. policy to combat antisemitism both domestically and globally. The memo referenced the Trump administration’s authority to remove noncitizens who pose a threat to foreign policy goals.
Khalil’s attorneys argue political motivation
Khalil’s attorney, Marc Van Der Hout, criticized Rubio’s statement. He said the secretary’s “determination has absolutely nothing to do with foreign policy.” His legal team contends that immigration officials are targeting Khalil for his beliefs, which they argue are protected under the First Amendment.
