A Syrian-born Columbia University student, Mahmoud Khalil, has been ruled eligible for deportation by a Louisiana immigration judge over his involvement in anti-Israel demonstrations, marking a high-profile application of an obscure immigration law targeting threats to U.S. foreign policy.
Immigration Judge Jamee Conaway determined during a two-hour hearing on Friday that federal officials had “established by clear and convincing evidence” that Khalil is removable from the United States.
Khalil, a 30-year-old permanent U.S. resident, spoke directly to the judge during the hearing, claiming he had not received fair treatment.
“What we witnessed today is that neither of those principles was present today or in this whole process,” Khalil said, referring to due process and fairness. “This is exactly why the Trump administration has sent me to this court, 1,000 miles away from my family.”
Though Comans ruled against Khalil, his deportation is not immediate. His legal team is expected to continue challenging the proceedings before a final decision is issued.
Khalil was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on March 8 in his university-funded Manhattan apartment, which he shares with his pregnant American wife. The arrest followed a crackdown on anti-Israel activism on college campuses initiated by the Trump administration.
A day after his arrest, Khalil was transferred to an ICE detention facility in Jena, Louisiana — over 1,000 miles from his wife. His legal team filed a habeas corpus petition in federal court in New Jersey, arguing the arrest violated Khalil’s First Amendment rights by targeting him for his political views.
Federal officials invoked a rarely used statute that allows the Secretary of State to order the deportation of noncitizens deemed to be threats to U.S. foreign policy.
On Wednesday, they submitted a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who alleged that Khalil’s participation in “antisemitic protests and disruptive activities” endangered Jewish students and ran counter to American foreign policy goals.
Rubio’s memo stated that Khalil’s activism undermined “U.S. policy to combat antisemitism around the world and in the United States.” It also referenced the Trump administration’s authority to remove noncitizens who interfere with U.S. diplomatic interests.
Khalil’s attorney, Marc Van Der Hout, criticized the ruling. “Today, we saw our worst fears play out: Mahmoud was subjected to a charade of due process, a flagrant violation of his right to a fair hearing, and a weaponization of immigration law to suppress dissent. This is not over, and our fight continues,” he said.
U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz in New Jersey has temporarily blocked Khalil’s deportation. At the same time, his federal case unfolds, and both parties are ordered to join a phone conference on Friday afternoon to discuss the outcome of the immigration hearing.
Khalil previously worked for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and moved to the U.S. in 2022 to study at Columbia.
He is a leading figure in Columbia United Against Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a coalition of student groups that has voiced support for anti-Israel causes and controversial organizations, including Hamas and Hezbollah. He was the lead negotiator between CUAD and Columbia officials during the 2023 campus encampment protests.
Van Der Hout asserted during a press conference that the evidence against Khalil was minimal and said the government was merely punishing him for exercising his protected right to free speech.
Reported by M10News |
