A U.S. immigration judge has sanctioned the removal of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student and activist. The ruling, issued in Louisiana, allows the Trump administration to move forward with deportation procedures. Judge Jamie Commins made the decision at the LaSalle Immigration Court, located inside a secure detention center.
Khalil, a Columbia University graduate, was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria. He is a citizen of Algeria and attained lawful permanent residency in the U.S. last year. His wife, Noor Abdullah, is an American citizen. This situation has drawn attention due to Khalil’s prominent role in pro-Palestinian protests at his university.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has cited the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act in this case. He contended that Khalil’s presence might be detrimental to U.S. foreign policy interests. Khalil and his legal team contend that the administration targets him for exercising his First Amendment rights. They maintain that he has not committed any crimes.
Khalil has called himself a political prisoner after his arrest on March 8 at Columbia. He was later moved to a detention facility in Louisiana, where his lawyers are currently examining the evidence provided by the government. Rubio’s letter claimed Khalil participated in anti-Semitic activities. However, it did not accuse him of breaking any laws.