Judge stops deportation of Palestinian activist, celebrated by Trump, following arrest
Mahmoud Khalil, a legal resident of the U.S., played a significant role in the protests at Columbia University.
TroibNews 
A federal judge has temporarily stopped the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student detained by immigration authorities for his involvement in campus protests regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Judge Jesse Furman of the Southern District of New York issued the ruling on Monday after the government attempted to deport Khalil, who was arrested outside his apartment over the weekend. A hearing regarding the case has been scheduled for Wednesday.
Furman, appointed by former President Barack Obama, stated that the intervention was necessary to maintain the court’s jurisdiction before the government could move Khalil out of state or deport him, as his lawyers contend that the actions taken against him infringe on his First Amendment rights.
This legal action follows President Donald Trump’s comments praising the arrest, linking it to his administration's initiative to penalize activists and universities for perceived harassment and violence against Jewish students. These actions have arisen in response to the protests that emerged nationwide after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
“This is the first arrest of many to come,” Trump remarked in a Truth Social post on Monday, connecting Khalil’s detention to his executive orders aimed at combating antisemitism in colleges.
He continued: “We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. … We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again.”
Khalil, who is married to a U.S. citizen and previously held legal permanent residency, was apprehended on Saturday night. An online locator for individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) indicated that he had already been moved to a detention facility in Louisiana.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Khalil's arrest in a statement posted to X, asserting that he “led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed this viewpoint on X, asserting that the Trump administration would ensure that the visas and green cards of Hamas supporters in the U.S. would be revoked for deportation.
The legal reasoning behind the Trump administration’s actions against Khalil remains ambiguous. Federal immigration law permits the revocation of green cards for various criminal activities, including those involving “moral turpitude” or anyone “engaging in terrorism-related activity.”
Tom Homan, the White House border czar, stated on Monday that the U.S. possesses the authority to deport Khalil.
“Absolutely we can,” Homan replied during a Fox Business appearance when asked about Khalil's deportation as a green card holder. “Did he violate the terms of his visa? Did he violate the terms of his residency? Committing crimes, attacking Israeli students, locking down buildings, destroying property — absolutely any resident alien that commits a crime is eligible for deportation.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James expressed her concern regarding Khalil's detention through a post on X on Monday afternoon.
"I am extremely concerned about the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, an advocate and legal permanent resident of Palestinian descent," James noted. "My office is monitoring the situation, and we are in contact with his attorney."
Trump has characterized Khalil’s situation as part of a wider initiative to address the participation of foreign students in anti-Israel demonstrations.
“If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here,” Trump asserted. “We expect every one of America’s Colleges and Universities to comply.”
Khalil was a prominent figure in Columbia’s pro-Palestinian protests last year, acting as a mediator between students and university officials. His detention follows the Trump administration's announcement of freezing $400 million in federal funding to Columbia due to concerns about its handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations and antisemitism on campus.
Josh Gerstein contributed to this report.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
Judge Jesse Furman of the Southern District of New York issued the ruling on Monday after the government attempted to deport Khalil, who was arrested outside his apartment over the weekend. A hearing regarding the case has been scheduled for Wednesday.
Furman, appointed by former President Barack Obama, stated that the intervention was necessary to maintain the court’s jurisdiction before the government could move Khalil out of state or deport him, as his lawyers contend that the actions taken against him infringe on his First Amendment rights.
This legal action follows President Donald Trump’s comments praising the arrest, linking it to his administration's initiative to penalize activists and universities for perceived harassment and violence against Jewish students. These actions have arisen in response to the protests that emerged nationwide after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
“This is the first arrest of many to come,” Trump remarked in a Truth Social post on Monday, connecting Khalil’s detention to his executive orders aimed at combating antisemitism in colleges.
He continued: “We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it. … We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again.”
Khalil, who is married to a U.S. citizen and previously held legal permanent residency, was apprehended on Saturday night. An online locator for individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) indicated that he had already been moved to a detention facility in Louisiana.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Khalil's arrest in a statement posted to X, asserting that he “led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed this viewpoint on X, asserting that the Trump administration would ensure that the visas and green cards of Hamas supporters in the U.S. would be revoked for deportation.
The legal reasoning behind the Trump administration’s actions against Khalil remains ambiguous. Federal immigration law permits the revocation of green cards for various criminal activities, including those involving “moral turpitude” or anyone “engaging in terrorism-related activity.”
Tom Homan, the White House border czar, stated on Monday that the U.S. possesses the authority to deport Khalil.
“Absolutely we can,” Homan replied during a Fox Business appearance when asked about Khalil's deportation as a green card holder. “Did he violate the terms of his visa? Did he violate the terms of his residency? Committing crimes, attacking Israeli students, locking down buildings, destroying property — absolutely any resident alien that commits a crime is eligible for deportation.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James expressed her concern regarding Khalil's detention through a post on X on Monday afternoon.
"I am extremely concerned about the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, an advocate and legal permanent resident of Palestinian descent," James noted. "My office is monitoring the situation, and we are in contact with his attorney."
Trump has characterized Khalil’s situation as part of a wider initiative to address the participation of foreign students in anti-Israel demonstrations.
“If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here,” Trump asserted. “We expect every one of America’s Colleges and Universities to comply.”
Khalil was a prominent figure in Columbia’s pro-Palestinian protests last year, acting as a mediator between students and university officials. His detention follows the Trump administration's announcement of freezing $400 million in federal funding to Columbia due to concerns about its handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations and antisemitism on campus.
Josh Gerstein contributed to this report.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
