Judge orders Palestinian student activist be deported from US in landmark ruling

12 April 2025, 14:00

March 15, 2025, Los Angeles, California, 'Los Angeles Pershing Square, 'fight for our rights fight for Palestine Free Mahmoud Khalil' . Protests have erupted in Los Angeles and other cities, demanding the release of Mahmoud Khali
March 15, 2025, Los Angeles, California, 'Los Angeles Pershing Square, 'fight for our rights fight for Palestine Free Mahmoud Khalil' . Protests have erupted in Los Angeles and other cities, demanding the release of Mahmoud Khali. Picture: Alamy

By Danielle de Wolfe

A Palestinian student activist held by US authorities has been told he will be deported from the country following a ruling from an immigration judge.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Mahmoud Khalil, a postgraduate student who was studying at Columbia University's school of international and public affairs, was detained by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) following pro-Palestine protests at the university.

Khalil, 30, a Palestinian born in Syria, has held a green card since 2024 - meaning he has permanent residency in the US.

The activist's wife, who is heavily pregnant and remains separated from the student, is also a US citizen.

However, in a landmark ruling on Friday, a US immigration judge has now ordered the student to be deported from the country.

Read more: 'I got every answer right': Trump claims he took cognitive test as part of annual medical - with results released Sunday

Security personnel stand post outside the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Jena, La., during an immigration hearing for Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University activist facing deportation for his role in pro-Palestinian campus protests
Security personnel stand post outside the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Jena, La., during an immigration hearing for Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University activist facing deportation for his role in pro-Palestinian campus protests. Picture: Alamy

On Friday, a Louisiana judge ruled that Khalil's presence in the US posed "potentially serious foreign policy consequences".

Judge Jamee E Comans added that these satisfied requirements for deportation.

He explained that the government had "established by clear and convincing evidence" that Khalil "is removable".

After the immigration court hearing, Khalil's attorney, Marc Van Der Hout, confirmed to a New Jersey federal judge that Khalil that his client would appeal the decision "within weeks".

Mr Khalil was detained by agents at his university apartment building in Manhattan on March 8.

Following his detainment, Mr Khalil was informed that his student visa had been revoked.

Within a days of being detained, Mr Khalil was flown across the country to an immigration centre in Louisiana.

Mr Khalil acted as a mediator between protesters and the university during pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

The protestor has never been accused of breaking any laws, despite the Trump administration labelling him "pro-Hamas" as a result of his defence of the Palestinian people.