Judge orders deportation of pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil amid backlash

A Louisiana immigration judge for the United States has ordered Mahmoud Khalil's deportation, a prominent pro-Palestinian protest organizer and ex-Columbia University student, because he failed to report material facts on his green card application. The September 12 ruling instructs Khalil to be deported to either Syria or Algeria but his attorneys have vowed to appeal and still battle the decision in federal court.

Judge Jamee Comans, who issued the deportation order, said Khalil had "willfully misrepresented material fact(s)" when he applied for a green card, and dismissed the argument it was a question of simple error or forgetfulness. "This was not a mistake by an uninformed, uneducated applicant," Comans said. The court held that Khalil knowingly withheld information, which was a reason for removal.

In spite of the ruling, Khalil's lawyers maintain that he still has immunity from detention or deportation right away due to the pending civil rights case in federal court. There already is an injunction by a judge in New Jersey prohibiting immigration enforcement action against Khalil until the case is resolved. His lawyers have filed a letter in the federal court this week reasserting their pledge to fight the deportation order.

In a statement released by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Khalil attributed the Trump administration's retaliations against him due to his activism and political views. "It is no coincidence that the Trump administration continues to retaliate against me for exercising my free speech," Khalil said. "Their latest attempt, by a kangaroo immigration court, again shows their true colors."

Khalil, a legal permanent resident and husband to a U.S. citizen and a father of a U.S.-born son, was detained by immigration agents for three months beginning in March. His arrest received national attention because it came on the heels of the birth of his child, which he could not see because he was behind bars. He was released in June but has continued to be threatened with deportation since then.

Khalil became to national prominence as one of the main organizers of pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses, in particular as a Columbia University student. He became a public figure amid a string of student-organized protests condemning Israel's military actions in Gaza and larger Palestinian rights issues.

The Trump administration has had a hardline against pro-Palestinian activists, frequently labeling them as antisemitic or terror-soft. Khalil's supporters argue that his deportation is part of a broader campaign to suppress criticism of U.S. foreign policy and of Israel's policies in the Middle East. A coalition of civil liberties groups, including Jewish groups, has rallied to Khalil's defense, arguing that advocating Palestinian rights is not equal to being antisemitic or terror-soft.

While Khalil's legal battle continues, the case is being subjected to increasingly close scrutiny by immigration monitors, human rights campaigners, and political commentators. According to his attorneys, the fight is a long way from over, and that the decision to deport him sets a dangerous precedent for political dissent and free speech in America.