A U.S. immigration judge ruled on Friday that the Trump administration can deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student, citing a provision in immigration law that permits removals when a noncitizen’s presence is deemed a threat to U.S. foreign policy. The decision follows Khalil’s involvement in pro-Palestinian campus protests last year.
Judge Jamee Comans of the LaSalle Immigration Court in Louisiana ruled that Khalil, a green card holder with no criminal record, is subject to deportation. The court set an April 23 deadline for Khalil’s legal team to file appeals. Khalil, arrested in March and transferred to a detention center far from his family, criticized the proceedings: "There's nothing more important than due process and fundamental fairness … Neither of those principles were present today."
U.S. President Donald Trump celebrated the ruling on his Truth Social platform, calling Khalil a "Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student" and vowing broader action against "terrorist sympathizers." Khalil’s lawyers deny any Hamas ties, arguing the case reflects the administration’s use of a rarely invoked 1952 law to target activists.
The ruling comes amid heightened scrutiny of U.S. immigration enforcement. Data from the Association of International Educators shows nearly 1,000 foreign students and scholars faced visa revocations or SEVIS terminations in the past year, with many linked to pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
