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Judge Rules Mahmoud Khalil Can Be Deported Under Rare Immigration Law

A Louisiana immigration judge determined that the pro-Palestinian activist's presence poses foreign policy risks, sparking an appeal process before the April 23 deadline.

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Mahmoud Khalil had accused Columbia University of laying ‘groundwork' for his abduction, compares admin to Nazi collaborators.
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Demonstrators hold a rally and march to the national ICE headquarters to protest the arrest of activists including Mahmoud Khalil on April 5 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images

Overview

  • Judge Jamee Comans ruled on April 11 that the U.S. government provided sufficient evidence to deport Mahmoud Khalil under a rarely used provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
  • The ruling cites a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleging Khalil's activism fosters antisemitism and disrupts U.S. foreign policy, despite no criminal charges against him.
  • Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and lawful permanent resident, has been detained since March 8 and remains in a Louisiana detention center far from his family and legal team.
  • His attorneys argue the deportation violates First Amendment protections and due process, framing it as a politically motivated effort to suppress dissent.
  • Federal courts in New York and New Jersey have temporarily blocked Khalil's deportation while legal challenges proceed, with an appeal deadline set for April 23.