Immigration judge says Mahmoud Khalil must be deported to Syria or Algeria
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Former Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian protest leader Mahmoud Khalil in front of Columbia University after delivering a briefing in New York City following his release from custody in June. Photo: Kena Betancu/AFP via Getty Images
An immigration judge ordered that Mahmoud Khalil, a leader in Columbia University's pro-Palestinian protests and a legal U.S. resident, be deported to Syria or Algeria, per court documents filed Wednesday.
The big picture: The judge found the former Columbia student who's been at the center of a protracted legal fight with the Trump administration that saw him spend over three months in immigration detention had failed to disclose certain information on his green card application, per the documents submitted by his lawyers, who indicated they'll appeal the ruling.
Driving the news: Khalil's legal team submitted a letter to the federal court in New Jersey overseeing his civil rights case explaining he'll challenge Jena, Louisiana-based Judge Jamee Comans' Sept. 12 decision.
- Comans denied Khalil's motion for a waiver to being removed from the U.S. due to what ACLU, one of his representatives in the case, in a statement called "baseless, pretextual 'misrepresentation' charges" that it said the administration had added after his detention.
Context: The judge in her order wrote that she found Khalil had "willfully misrepresented material fact(s) for the sole purpose of circumventing the immigration process and reducing the likelihood his application would be denied."
- She added: "This Court cannot and will not condone such an action by granting a discretionary waiver. To do so, 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."
What they're saying: "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," Khalil said in a statement.
- "When their first effort to deport me was set to fail, they resorted to fabricating baseless and ridiculous allegations in a bid to silence me for speaking out and standing firmly with Palestine, demanding an end to the ongoing genocide. Such fascist tactics will never deter me from continuing to advocate for my people's liberation."
The other side: "It is a privilege to be granted a visa or green card to live and study in the United States of America," said Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
- "When you advocate for violence, glorify and support terrorists that relish the killing of Americans, and harass Jews, take over buildings and deface property, that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country," she added, in reference to the Trump administration's allegations against Khalil.
- "Even as a rogue district judge seeks to deny these basic truths, an immigration judge has ordered Khalil removed based on immigration fraud. The Trump Administration will continue to fight to vindicate these important principles."
Go deeper: Freed Mahmoud Khalil seeks $20 million in damages from Trump admin
Editor's note: This story has been updated with a DHS statement.
