Pro-Palestinian College Activist Ordered To Be Deported By Immigration Judge

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, NY — A Louisiana judge has ordered the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian Columbia University graduate student, according to court documents in his New Jersey federal court case.

The judge ordered Khalil to be deported to Syria — which is where he was born — or Algeria.

The order is based on the Trump administration's claims that Khalil failed to disclose certain information on his green card application, according to court documents.

Khalil's lawyers said Wednesday that they intend to fight the ruling by Louisiana Immigration Judge Jamee Comans.

The New Jersey federal judge handling his case, Michael Farbiarz, ruled in late May that the effort to deport Khalil was "likely unconstitutional," Patch previously reported.

Khalil, a legal permanent U.S. resident and graduate student who served as spokesperson for campus activists last year during large demonstrations against Israel's treatment of Palestinians and the war in Gaza, was detained on March 8 in the lobby of his campus-owned apartment and was held in detention in Jena, Louisiana, for 104 days, during which he missed the birth of his son.

To target Khalil, the Trump administration used a provision of the 1953 Immigration and Nationality Act to arrest and detain noncitizens who engage in protest that could harm the country's international relations, in a memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"It is no surprise that the Trump administration continues to retaliate against me for my exercise of free speech. Their latest attempt, through a kangaroo immigration court, exposes their true colors once again," Khalil said in a statement, according to Politico.

Khalil’s lawyers said they have 30 days from Sept. 12, the date of the immigration judge’s ruling, to fight the decision.

This is a developing story and will be updated. For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.