A federal immigration judge has ordered Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University, to be deported to either Algeria or Syria, marking a significant development in his ongoing legal battle with the U.S. government. The ruling, issued last week by Louisiana-based Judge Jamee Comans, stems from allegations that Khalil misrepresented information on his green card application.
Khalil, a lawful permanent resident, denies intentionally withholding information, rejecting claims that he was a member of a UN agency helping Palestinian refugees or that he continued working at the British Embassy in Beirut after 2022. Judge Comans denied his request for a waiver, saying Khalil should have known full disclosure was required and ruling that the omissions were deliberate to “circumvent the immigration process and reduce the likelihood his application would be denied.”
The decision comes months after Khalil was first detained in New York in March due to his involvement in pro-Palestinian protests on campus. The Trump administration has alleged that he engaged in “hateful behavior and rhetoric,” linking him to pro-Hamas activity, which Khalil has consistently denied. He emphasized that the ruling represented continued retaliation for his activism, stating that it came through a “kangaroo immigration court.”
Khalil remains protected from immediate deportation under a separate federal order issued by U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz in New Jersey, which blocked his removal while his civil rights lawsuit against the government proceeds. His attorneys plan to appeal Comans’ ruling to the Board of Immigration Appeals, acknowledging the challenges they face in a conservative appellate court. Oral arguments in the New Jersey case are expected to begin as early as next month.
If his appeal fails, Khalil will lose his green card status, which will restrict his ability to work and travel. His lawyers have warned that returning to Algeria or Syria would place him in significant danger. Meanwhile, Khalil, 30, has vowed to continue advocating for Palestinians while pursuing a $20 million lawsuit against the Trump administration for alleged false imprisonment and defamation.
