U.S. Judge Orders Deportation of Pro-Palestine Columbia Activist Mahmoud Khalil:

September 18, 2025 – New York, NY — In a case that has sparked outcry from civil rights groups and free speech advocates, an immigration judge in Louisiana has ordered the deportation of pro-Palestine activist and former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil. The ruling, issued on September 12 by Immigration Judge Jamee Comans, states that Khalil should be removed to either Algeria or Syria—countries he is connected to by citizenship and birthplace. Khalil, who is of Palestinian origin, has expressed deep concern over the ruling, saying he fears persecution or even assassination due to his outspoken activism against Israel’s war on Gaza. Khalil rose to prominence last year as a leading organizer of student protests at Columbia University, calling for divestment from companies supporting Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The protests, which were part of a wider national student movement, drew global attention and led to backlash from some political leaders in Washington. According to court documents released by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Wednesday, Judge Comans accused Khalil of “willfully misrepresenting” information on his green card application. Specifically, the judge claimed Khalil failed to disclose his past association with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and his involvement with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led advocacy group. “This Court finds that Respondent willfully misrepresented material fact(s) for the sole purpose of circumventing the immigration process,” the judge wrote in her decision. Khalil’s legal team has denied the allegations, arguing that the omissions were not material and that the government is weaponizing the immigration system in retaliation for his political views. His attorneys have vowed to appeal the ruling to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) within the 30-day deadline, although they expressed concern that such appeals are rarely successful. "This is a blatant attempt to silence Mahmoud for exercising his constitutional right to free speech," the ACLU said in a statement. "The deportation order is part of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestine voices, particularly on college campuses." Khalil was arrested on March 8 at his Columbia University residence in New York by immigration authorities. He was detained for three months at a facility in Louisiana until a federal judge ordered his release in June, calling his detention unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz had earlier blocked Khalil’s deportation, ruling that the government’s actions likely violated his First Amendment rights. However, the latest ruling by Judge Comans circumvents that decision by focusing on alleged visa application issues. Khalil, in a statement published by the ACLU, said, “When their first attempt to deport me failed, they turned to false and absurd claims to silence me. This is about punishing me for standing with Palestine and demanding an end to the genocide in Gaza.” The case continues to gain attention as a flashpoint in the debate over immigration, free speech, and political activism in the United States.

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