Immigration Judge Orders Deportation of Activist Mahmoud Khalil to Algeria or Syria

An immigration judge has ordered the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and former Columbia University student, to either Algeria or Syria. The ruling, issued by Judge Jamee Comans on September 12, cites Khalil's failure to disclose certain information on his green card application.

Judge Comans stated that Khalil "willfully misrepresented material fact(s) for the sole purpose of circumventing the immigration process and reducing the likelihood his application would be denied." She emphasized that granting a discretionary waiver in such cases would "encourage future applicants to take the gamble of materially misrepresenting facts and then seeking a waiver if it is somehow discovered by the U.S. government."

Khalil's legal team plans to appeal the decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals within the 30-day window provided. Attorney Baher Azmy expressed concern over the expedited nature of the process, noting that "given statements targeting Petitioner by name for retaliation and deportation made by the President and several senior U.S. government officials, undersigned counsel have ample reason to expect that the BIA process—and an affirmance of the IJ’s determination—will be swift."

Khalil, who was born in Syria and is of Palestinian origin, has been a prominent figure in pro-Palestinian activism. He was detained in March as part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and spent over three months in a Louisiana detention facility, during which he missed the birth of his first child.

In response to the deportation order, Khalil stated, "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."

The Department of Homeland Security has been contacted for comment on the case.