Thu Sep 18 06:45:55 UTC 2025: ## The Hindu: U.S. Court Orders Deportation of Pro-Palestinian Activist; Lawyers Vow Appeal
**Washington D.C. – September 18, 2025** – A U.S. immigration judge has ordered the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old permanent U.S. resident of Palestinian descent and a Columbia University student, to Algeria or Syria. The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, September 18, 2025, cites alleged omissions on Khalil’s green card application as the basis for the deportation.
Judge Jamee Comans stated that Khalil “willfully misrepresented material fact(s)” to circumvent the immigration process and increase the likelihood of his application’s approval.
Khalil’s legal team has announced their intention to appeal the deportation order. They emphasized that separate orders from a federal district court remain in effect, preventing the immediate deportation or detention of Khalil while his federal court case is ongoing.
The case has drawn significant attention due to Khalil’s pro-Palestinian activism and previous detention by U.S. immigration authorities for over 100 days earlier this year. Khalil’s lawyers allege the deportation attempt is politically motivated, a retaliatory measure by the Trump administration against his outspoken criticism of Israeli policies and his support for Palestinian rights. He was detained while his wife, a U.S. citizen, was pregnant, and missed the birth of their child.
The Trump administration has been known to label pro-Palestinian protestors as antisemitic and supporters of extremism, a charge vehemently denied by protesters, including some Jewish groups. They argue their criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories is wrongly equated with antisemitism.
Khalil himself has condemned the deportation order, stating, “It is no surprise that the Trump administration continues to retaliate against me for my exercise of free speech. When their first effort to deport me was set to fail, they resorted to fabricating baseless and ridiculous allegations in a bid to silence me for speaking out and standing firmly with Palestine, demanding an end to the ongoing genocide.”
The case raises concerns regarding free speech and due process, especially in the context of increasing scrutiny of pro-Palestinian activism on university campuses, including at Columbia University, a focal point of past protests demanding an end to Israel’s war and the divestment of funds from companies supporting Israel.
The case will continue to unfold in the federal courts as Khalil’s legal team fights to prevent his deportation.
*This report incorporates information from Reuters and THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD.*
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