Judge Orders Anti-Israel Activist Mahmoud Khalil Deported

An immigration judge in Louisiana has ruled that anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful permanent resident, must be deported to either Syria or Algeria, according to a report from Politico on Wednesday.

Judge Jamee Comans issued the order on September 12, citing claims that Khalil withheld key details on his application for a green card.

The decision comes even though a federal judge in New Jersey previously blocked his deportation while that court weighs Khalil’s argument that the government’s actions amount to retaliation for his outspoken pro-Palestinian Arab positions.

In filings to federal court, Khalil’s attorneys announced they will challenge the deportation order, but they warned that the appeal is likely to move “swift and unfavorable.” They have 30 days from the date of the ruling to submit their case to the Board of Immigration Appeals.

His lawyers also noted that if the case moves to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, the chances of halting his removal are slim since that court “almost never” grants such requests for noncitizens.

Khalil, who once studied at Columbia University and organized anti-Israel demonstrations there, drew national attention earlier this year when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained him in March, accusing him of being a potential national security threat. He was released at the end of June after a judge ruled his detention unlawful.

Despite that ruling, the Trump administration pressed forward with its push to expel him, this time focusing on accusations that he did not fully disclose his past jobs and affiliations with certain groups when applying for permanent residency.

Khalil sparked outrage for defending the October 7, 2023 massacre that triggered the Israel-Hamas war. In an August 6 interview with the New York Times, he described the bloodshed as a “desperate attempt” by Hamas to “just break the cycle” of Palestinian Arab suffering. When pressed, he declined to label the attack a “mistake,” offering only that “targeting civilians is wrong.”

Shortly after leaving detention, Khalil participated in an anti-Israel demonstration in New York City. Videos online showed him among protesters chanting slogans such as “Palestine will live forever” and “from the river to the sea.”

He later attended another anti-Israel protest last month, where he cited words from an Al Jazeera journalist who also served as a Hamas operative and was killed by Israel in Gaza.

{Matzav.com}