Federal Immigration Judge Says Columbia Protest Leader Mahmoud Khalil Can Be Deported

A federal immigration judge has ruled that Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born permanent U.S. resident, can be deported over his role in anti-Israel protests at Columbia University.

As reported by The New York Post, the decision came Friday in Louisiana immigration court, following a push by federal authorities to remove Khalil from the United States due to concerns about his influence on foreign policy and public safety.

Khalil, 30, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on March 8 inside his university-funded Manhattan apartment, which he shared with his pregnant American-citizen wife.

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A day later, he was transferred to a detention facility in Jena, Louisiana.

The arrest was part of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration on anti-Israel demonstrations taking place on U.S. college campuses.

Khalil was a leading figure in Columbia United Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a coalition of radical student groups that has expressed support for terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah and has called for the “end of Western civilization.”

While Judge Jamee Comans ruled Khalil can be deported, the removal will not occur immediately. His legal team will continue to fight the proceedings before a final determination is made.

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His attorneys filed a habeas corpus petition in federal court in New Jersey, arguing that his arrest was a violation of his First Amendment rights, claiming he was targeted solely for his political beliefs.

The Department of Homeland Security and ICE cited a rarely used statute that permits the Secretary of State to recommend deportation of a noncitizen whose presence is deemed detrimental to U.S. foreign policy.

Rubio’s memo stated that Khalil’s presence in the U.S. undermines “U.S. policy to combat antisemitism around the world and in the United States, in addition to efforts to protect Jewish students from harassment and violence in the United States.”

Rubio’s memo emphasized that Khalil’s continued presence in the U.S. was contrary to national interests, citing federal authority to remove individuals whose activities conflict with America’s diplomatic efforts and domestic policies.

Khalil, who is also an Algerian citizen and formerly worked for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, moved to the U.S. in 2022 to study at Columbia University. During his time at the university, he emerged as the primary spokesperson for CUAD and led multiple high-profile campus protests.

His attorney, Marc Van Der Hout, dismissed Rubio’s memo, saying the determination “has absolutely nothing to do with foreign policy.” In a press conference Thursday, Khalil’s legal team accused federal authorities of lacking substantial evidence and targeting their client for his political views.

The case has become a flashpoint in the debate over campus activism, national security, and the limits of political expression for noncitizens in the United States.

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