Who is Mahmoud Khalil? Judge rules Columbia University student can be deported from US

A US immigration judge ruled on Friday that the Trump administration can deport Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil.

The ruling by Judge Jamee Comans of the LaSalle Immigration Court in Louisiana does not mean Khalil would be immediately removed from the country.

But it represented a significant victory for US President Donald Trump in his efforts to deport foreign pro-Palestinian students who are in the United States legally and, like Khalil, have not been charged with any crime, Reuters reported.

Khalil's lawyers are expected to appeal. The judge gave his lawyers until 23 April to appeal against the order.

In a separate case in New Jersey, US District Judge Michael Farbiarz blocked deportation while he considers Khalil's claim that his arrest was made in violation of the US Constitution's First Amendment protections for freedom of speech.

Who is Mahmoud Khalil?

Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate, is a pro-Palestinian (or anti-Israel) activist who helped lead protests against Israel at the university.

He was detained last month over his role in pro-Palestinian protests, BBC reported. The 30-year-old was a prominent voice at Columbia University's protests against the war in Gaza last year.

The activist has been held at a Louisiana detention centre since March 8, when immigration officers told him he was being deported for taking part in protests against the war in Gaza.

Khalil, a permanent legal US resident, has not been charged with a crime. In a letter written from the facility, he said his "arrest was a direct consequence" of speaking out for Palestinian rights.

Khalil was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria. He holds Algerian citizenship and became a US lawful permanent resident last year. Khalil's wife is a US citizen.

Why is Mahmoud Khalil in news?

Mahmoud Khalil drew global attention after the Trump administration arrested and moved to deport him. The case raised questions about free speech on college campuses and the legal process that would allow for the deportation of a US permanent resident.

The Columbia graduate's arrest by immigration agents was linked to Donald Trump's promise to crack down on student demonstrators he accuses of "un-American activity".

US Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem wrote on X that Khalil's "removal should come as welcome news" as he "hates the United States and what we stand for".

"It is a privilege to be granted a visa or green card to live and study in the United States of America. When you advocate for violence, glorify and support terrorists that relish the killing of Americans, and harass Jews, that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country," she said in a post on X.

What did Mahmoud Khalil say after court ruling?

Khalil addressed the court after the ruling and said, “I would like to quote what you said last time that there's nothing that's more important to this court than due process rights and fundamental fairness.”

"Clearly what we witnessed today, neither of these principles were present today or in this whole process," he was quoted by BBC as saying. “This is exactly why the Trump administration has sent me to this court, 1,000 miles away from my family,” he added.