A U.S. immigration decide ordered pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil be deported to Algeria or Syria over claims that he omitted data from his inexperienced card utility, court docket paperwork confirmed on Wednesday.
Khalil’s legal professionals stated they intend to enchantment the deportation order whereas saying a federal district court docket’s separate orders stay in impact that prohibit the federal government from instantly deporting or detaining him as his federal court docket case proceeds.
Immigration decide Jamee Comans stated Khalil “willfully misrepresented materials truth(s) for the only real goal of circumventing the immigration course of and decreasing the probability his utility can be denied.”
Khalil’s legal professionals submitted a letter to a federal court docket in New Jersey overseeing his civil rights case and stated he’ll problem Comans’ choice.
Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia College graduate scholar recognized for his position within the 2024 Columbia College pro-Palestinian protests, leads a pro-Palestinian “March for Humanity” towards the humanitarian disaster in Gaza on August 16, 2025, in New York Metropolis.
Stephanie Keith / Getty Photos
Khalil, a 30-year-old everlasting U.S. resident of Palestinian descent and a Columbia College scholar, was detained by U.S. immigration authorities for greater than 100 days earlier this 12 months because the Trump administration sought to deport him.
His spouse, who’s a U.S. citizen, was pregnant on the time and Khalil missed the start of their youngster whereas in jail.
Professional-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil and his spouse, Dr. Noor Abdalla, maintain their child Deen throughout an interview, July 3, 2025, in New York.
Yuki Iwamura / The Related Press
He was launched on June 20. U.S. District Choose Michael Farbiarz of New Jersey stated on the time, whereas referring to Khalil, that punishing somebody over a civil immigration matter was unconstitutional.
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President Donald Trump‘s administration has cracked down on pro-Palestinian protesters corresponding to Khalil, calling them antisemitic and supporters of extremism.
Protesters, together with some Jewish teams, say the federal government wrongly equates their criticism of Israel’s assault on Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories with antisemitism and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with help for extremism.
“It’s no shock that the Trump administration continues to retaliate towards me for my train of free speech,” Khalil stated.
“When their first effort to deport me was set to fail, they resorted to fabricating baseless and ridiculous allegations in a bid to silence me for talking out and standing firmly with Palestine, demanding an finish to the continuing genocide.”
Rights teams increase free speech and due course of issues over the deportation makes an attempt and federal funding threats to universities the place protests occurred.
Columbia was on the coronary heart of final 12 months’s protests that demanded an finish to Israel’s struggle and a divestment by universities of funds from firms that help Israel.
