World Immigration News

Judge has ruled legal permanent US resident Mahmoud Khalil can be deported. What comes next?

Release Date: 2025-04-13
Media: CNN
Summary: Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and former Columbia University graduate student with legal permanent residency, has been ruled "removable" by an immigration judge in Louisiana, marking a legal win for the Trump administration. The ruling cited foreign policy concerns, based on a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleging Khalil undermined U.S. efforts to combat antisemitism, despite no criminal charges.

Khalil was arrested outside his home in New York and transferred to an ICE detention center in Louisiana. His legal team argues the case is politically motivated, targeting him for protected speech, especially his role in pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s war in Gaza.

Parallel legal proceedings are ongoing: one in immigration court focused on his deportation and another in a New Jersey federal court challenging his detention. His lawyers plan to appeal the immigration ruling, file for asylum, and seek his release from custody.

Advocates argue the case reflects broader efforts by the Trump administration to suppress Palestinian activism on campuses. Legal experts expect the process to take years, with multiple stages of appeal, and Khalil cannot be deported until all appeals are exhausted.
Tags: USA

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