US judge orders deportation of Mahmoud Khalil to Syria or Algeria
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Mahmoud Khalil’s deportation is being pursued under a Cold War-era immigration law.
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Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil poses for a portrait during an interview, July 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Immigration Judge Jamee Comans, based in Louisiana, has ordered Mahmoud Khalil's removal from the United States, citing alleged willful misrepresentation on his green card application. The court concluded that Khalil's failure to disclose material facts was not an innocent mistake but a deliberate act of deception.
"It is hereby further ordered that Respondent be Removed from the United States to Algeria, or in the alternative to Syria," the order, dated September 12, read. The ruling followed months of legal proceedings and a three-month detention beginning in March 2025.
Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old Palestinian activist and former graduate student at Columbia University, has become a central figure in the 2024 pro-Palestinian campus protests across the United States. Born in Syria and holding Algerian citizenship, Khalil is a legal permanent resident of the US, married to a US citizen, and father to a US-born child.
He gained national and international attention as a leading organizer and spokesperson for the Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) coalition, advocating for divestment from companies supporting "Israel's" military campaign in Gaza.
Legal, political context
The deportation case against Khalil is rooted in the Trump administration's intensified immigration crackdown, particularly targeting activists linked to the 2024–2025 campus protests. Authorities have invoked the McCarran-Walter Act (Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952), a Cold War-era law originally aimed at rooting out perceived ideological threats.
Khalil's deportation was pursued under two key legal provisions: Section 212(a)(6)(C)(i), concerning fraud or willful misrepresentation on immigration applications, and Section 212(a)(3)(C), allowing removal if an individual's presence is deemed detrimental to US foreign policy.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited Khalil's role in what he called "antisemitic and disruptive" demonstrations as grounds for removal under the latter.
Reaction, civil liberties concerns
Responding to the ruling, Khalil issued a statement through the American Civil Liberties Union: "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."
While the deportation order has been issued, Khalil remains in the United States under legal protection as his attorneys pursue an appeal. They have 30 days to challenge the ruling before the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Columbia University, which had previously taken action against nearly 80 students over the protests, has faced pressure over its response to pro-Palestinian activism.
