A federal immigration judge has ordered Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student and pro-Palestine activist, to be deported to either Syria or Algeria. Judge Jamee Comans issued the decision on September 12 in Louisiana, citing Khalil’s failure to disclose key information on his U.S. green card application. Khalil did not reveal his internship with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and his ties with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, an anti-Israel campus coalition.
The court documents, made public by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), highlight that Khalil’s omissions were deliberate and constituted grounds for removal. Comans stated that Khalil “wilfully misrepresented material fact(s) for the sole purpose of circumventing the immigration process.” Khalil, a native of Syria and an Algerian citizen of Palestinian origin, has expressed fear of being targeted by Israel if deported to either country.
Khalil’s legal team plans to appeal the decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals. They have 30 days from the ruling date to file the appeal, but they acknowledge that stays of removal are rarely granted to noncitizens in such cases. Khalil’s lawyers argue that the deportation order is part of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestine activism in the United States.
Khalil was initially arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in March at his Manhattan apartment and spent over three months in detention. He was released in June after U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled that his detention was unconstitutional and blocked his removal while reviewing his claims of retaliation for protected political speech. Khalil accuses the Trump administration of using “fascist tactics” to silence his activism.
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