Columbia Univ pro-Palestinian student Mahmoud Khalil can be expelled from US, judge rules—Calls him ‘security risk’

A US immigration judge in Louisiana ruled on Friday (April 11) that Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil can be deported as a national security risk, marking a major escalation in the Trump administration's crackdown on student protesters.

Immigration Judge Jamee E. Comans concluded that the government had “established by clear and convincing evidence that he is removable.” She said Mahmoud Khalil’s continued presence posed “potentially serious foreign policy consequences” for the United States.

Mahmoud Khalil, 30, a legal US resident pursuing a degree in international affairs, has not been charged with any crime. His lawyers argue that his arrest and detention violate his constitutional rights.

“The attempt to deport Mr. Khalil has nothing to do with foreign policy,” his attorney Marc Van Der Hout told the judge, accusing the administration of using immigration law to silence dissent.

First high-profile arrest of Gaza protester

Khalil was arrested on March 8 in the lobby of his university-owned apartment by federal immigration agents. He was swiftly flown to an immigration detention facility in Jena, Louisiana, thousands of miles from his legal team and his wife — a US citizen.

His arrest marked the first publicised action under President Trump’s vow to target foreign students participating in campus demonstrations against Israel’s war in Gaza.

Rubio cites rarely used deportation statute

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked a little-used provision that allows the deportation of individuals deemed to have “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.”

That provision became central to the government's argument, and Judge Comans ultimately agreed it justified Khalil’s deportation, despite her earlier call for direct evidence connecting him to such a threat.

Federal Judges step in to delay deportation

Although the immigration court has ruled against Khalil, federal judges in New York and New Jersey have issued orders temporarily blocking his deportation while legal proceedings continue.

Justice Department attorneys said on Friday that even if the immigration judge ruled in Khalil’s favor, she wouldn’t have the authority to release him immediately. A separate bail hearing would need to follow.

Khalil was a visible presence at Columbia’s pro-Palestinian protests, serving as a negotiator and spokesperson when students took over a campus lawn. He was not accused of participating in the later occupation of an administration building and was not arrested during those events.

Despite that, his visibility — including appearing unmasked and speaking to the press — made him a political lightning rod.

Crackdown reaches across US campuses

The Trump administration has ramped up action against student demonstrators critical of Israel. Authorities have arrested a Georgetown University scholar, revoked student visas, and deported a Brown University professor linked to a Hezbollah funeral abroad.

Meanwhile, Columbia University is facing its own punishment: the administration has moved to cut over $400 million in federal research funding, citing the institution’s alleged failure to curb antisemitism on campus.

Lawyers continue legal fight

Khalil’s legal team has vowed to keep fighting, seeking a waiver and pursuing relief in federal courts.

“Free speech is not a threat to national security,” Van Der Hout said. “What is happening here is a political prosecution disguised as immigration enforcement.”