After leading violent and threatening protests at Columbia University, anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by Ice agents and taken into custody on March 8, and his green card was revoked.
The following day, March 10, U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, an Obama appointee, slammed the brakes on the Trump administration’s efforts to deport Khalil.
On Friday, a judge in Lousiana federal court ruled that the Trump administration has met its burden to deport him.
Khalil has until April 23rd to file relief applications.
The ruling in Louisiana federal court came in the government’s bid to boot the Syrian-born permanent resident out of the US over his anti-Israel activism at Columbia.
But Khalil won’t be deported immediately — his lawyers will get the chance to fight the proceedings before a final determination is made.
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On Wednesday, the government filed a two-page memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio arguing Khalil should be kicked out because of his participation “in antisemitic protests and disruptive activities, which fosters a hostile environment for Jewish students in the United States.”
Rubio’s memo said Khalil’s presence in the country undermines “U.S. policy to combat antisemitism around the world and in the United States, in addition to efforts to protect Jewish students from harassment and violence in the United States.”
The Gateway Pundit reported that it appears that there is much more to Khalil than first realized.
Khalil worked at the British Embassy in Beirut, where he supported diplomats with his language skills and local knowledge.
Khalil had a security clearance from the British government and the program he worked on is affiliated with a “flagship UK soft power policy.”
Khalil then immigrated to New York City in 2022 on a student visa to attend the Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).
SIPA is known is well-known for preparing students for careers in fields related to international affairs, public policy, and security, which often include intelligence-related positions. The CIA is linked to SIPA and finds future agents at this school.
Khalil worked for the UK government “flagship soft power policy,” reports the Middle East Eye. He was “programme manager at the Syria Office in the British embassy in Beirut from 2018 t0 2022 [and] a local manager for the Syria Chevening Program, a prestigious UK government… https://t.co/NvY39BG8eQ pic.twitter.com/9ORtmal8l4
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) March 14, 2025
At the time of his arrest, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin wrote in a statement to Columbia Spectator,
“On March 9, 2025, in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student.”
“Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization… ICE and the Department of State are committed to enforcing President Trump’s executive orders and to protecting U.S. national security,” she added.
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