US Judge Directs Removal of Pro-Palestinian Activist Citing Misrepresented Information on Residency Form
A federal judge in Louisiana has ruled the removal of pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil to either Algeria or Syria, declaring that he failed to fully disclose necessary details on his green card petition, as per legal records.
Legal Response and Federal Protection
Khalil’s legal team stated they intend to appeal the deportation order and noted that a US district court’s separate orders presently bar the authorities from right away deporting or holding him while his federal case continues.
“It is no surprise that the administration persists to retaliate against me for using my freedom of free speech,” he commented in a response. “This latest attempt, through a kangaroo immigration court, exposes their true colors once again.”
Judge’s Finding and Reasoning
The decision dated 12 September asserted that the lack of complete reporting on Khalil’s forms “cannot be considered an oversight by an uninformed individual … rather, this court finds that the defendant intentionally falsified material fact(s).”
Judge Jamee Comans wrote: “This order herewith further decreed that the respondent be removed from the United States to Algeria, or in the alternative to Syria.”
Personal and Past Events
Khalil, a green card holder of the United States who is married to a US citizen and has a US-citizen son, was detained for 90 days beginning in March and confronted potential deportation. His wife was pregnant at the time, and Khalil was absent for the delivery of their child while in jail.
A former Columbia University student and one of the most visible leaders of countrywide pro-Gaza campus protests, Khalil was freed from custody in June but has experienced continued risk of deportation from US agencies.
Administrative Context
The administration has cracked down on pro-Palestinian protesters such as Khalil, labeling them antisemitic and supporters of extremism.
Activist groups, some of which are Jewish groups, argue that criticism of Israel’s actions on Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories is not antisemitism, and that support for Palestinians should not be seen as endorsement for extremism.
