A U.S. immigration judge is set to make a decision on Friday regarding the potential deportation of Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil. Khalil was arrested at his Columbia University residence and taken to a Louisiana jail, following a determination by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that his presence in the U.S. could have significant foreign policy implications. Khalil, a key figure in the pro-Palestinian student movement at Columbia University, is facing deportation under the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act. This case represents a notable test of the Trump administration’s efforts to remove foreign pro-Palestinian students legally residing in the U.S. without any criminal charges. Khalil, originally from a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria with Algerian citizenship, became a lawful permanent U.S. resident last year. His legal team has raised concerns about the rushed review of evidence submitted by the government ahead of the judgment by Judge Jamee Comans at the LaSalle Immigration Court in Louisiana. Rubio highlighted Khalil’s participation in “antisemitic protests and disruptive activities” as reasons for his removal, despite no criminal accusations against Khalil. Khalil’s lawyers intend to request the opportunity to question Rubio at the upcoming hearing. They argue that Khalil is being targeted for constitutionally protected speech critical of U.S. foreign policy, rather than for any unlawful actions. The case underscores the debate over distinguishing criticism of U.S. support for Israel from antisemitism. The State Department declined to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings. Judge Comans is expected to issue a ruling on Khalil’s deportation or case dismissal by the end of the week. Khalil is also challenging the constitutionality of his arrest and detention in a separate case in a New Jersey federal court. The U.S. immigration court system, overseen by the Department of Justice, operates independently of the judicial branch.
