A Louisiana immigration judge ruled on Friday that Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and legal permanent resident of the United States, can be deported. The decision comes after the U.S. government argued that Khalil’s presence posed “potentially serious foreign policy consequences.”
The ruling, issued by Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Jamee Comans, follows the submission of evidence by the federal government, including a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio’s memo alleged that Khalil is deportable because of his “beliefs, statements, or associations” that could harm U.S. foreign policy interests.
Khalil’s attorneys argued that the decision was based solely on the memo from Rubio, which did not contain any allegations of criminal activity. They called the decision a violation of Khalil’s constitutional right to free speech and warned it set a dangerous precedent.
“Despite the government’s failure to prove that Mahmoud broke any law, the court has decided that lawful permanent residents can have their status revoked for pro-Palestine advocacy,” Khalil’s legal team said in a statement after the hearing. “This is a blatant violation of the First Amendment and a dangerous precedent for anyone who believes in free speech and political expression.”
The “removability finding” means the judge determined Khalil is subject to removal from the United States due to a violation of immigration law or a lack of legal immigration status. Khalil’s legal team has announced they will appeal the ruling.
Khalil was arrested last month by federal agents outside his apartment on the campus of Columbia University, following a deportation order issued by the Trump administration. Khalil, married to a U.S. citizen, is a prominent Palestinian activist who played a central role in protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza on the Ivy League campus last year.