Columbia Student Faces Deportation Over Pro-Palestinian Activism

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist detained in Louisiana, becomes a focal point in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian-born permanent U.S. resident and Columbia University student, was detained on March 8 for alleged actions deemed adverse to U.S. foreign policy.
The Trump administration, citing a rarely used provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, argues that Khalil’s activism could harm U.S. foreign policy interests.
Khalil, who has not been charged with a crime, is fighting deportation while his lawyers argue he poses no flight risk and should be released on bail to prepare for the birth of his first child.
Critics of Khalil claim he led anti-Israel protests at Columbia and exhibited antisemitic behavior, while his supporters view his detention as an attack on free speech and political dissent.
The case has sparked broader debates on immigration policy, free speech, and the limits of dissent in the U.S., as federal officials signal more visa revocations are likely.