US judge allows deportation of pro-Palestinian student protester Mahmoud Khalil

A US immigration judge has ruled that Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian student protester, can be deported, his lawyer said on Friday. He is also a permanent resident.

Judge Jamee Comans, based in Louisiana, said the government had provided enough evidence to justify the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, according to his solicitor.

“Today, we saw our worst fears play out: Mahmoud was subject to a charade of due process, a flagrant violation of his right to a fair hearing, and a weaponisation of immigration law to suppress dissent. This is not over, and our fight continues,” Khalil’s solicitor Marc van der Hout said in the statement.

Khalil has not yet been scheduled for deportation, and the judge has given his legal team until 23 April to request a waiver, the statement said.

Columbia University student, key figure in pro-Palestinian protests

Khalil, a Columbia University student and a key figure in the protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, is married to a US citizen. He was arrested and taken to Louisiana, which led to protests.

Judge Comans had asked the government to clearly explain its case, as it seeks to deport Khalil on the grounds that his protest activities pose a national security threat.

Khalil’s activism could harm US foreign policy: Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the court that Khalil’s activism could harm US foreign policy. However, he did not officially claim that Khalil, who was born in Algeria and is of Palestinian origin, is linked to Hamas, even though some officials have suggested that to the media.

Badar Khan Suri and his alleged links to Hamas

Other international student protesters have also faced similar actions. Badar Khan Suri, an Indian scholar married to a US citizen of Palestinian origin, has also been arrested for his alleged links with Hamas.