Judge Orders Mahmoud Kahlil Deported To Algeria Or Syria: Here’s What We Know

A Louisiana judge has ordered the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil to either Algeria or Syria over allegations of him omitting information from a green card application. The activist and former Columbia University student was previously detained as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests.

Why did a judge order Mahmoud Khalil’s deportation?

Khalil was born in Syria and is a citizen of Algeria, according to the BBC. He’s a permanent resident of the US and his wife, who just gave birth to their son, is an American citizen.

Louisiana Judge Jamee Comans said that Khalil “wilfully misrepresented material fact(s) for the sole purpose of circumventing the immigration process.” Allegations regarding his immigration documentation had already been made by the US government in March. Khalil was previously accused of leaving out details regarding his membership of Unwra, the UN agency that works with Palestinians, as well as his “continuing employment” at the British Embassy in Beirut.

Khalil has publicly spoken out against these claims, saying they are an attempt to stifle his right to freedom of speech.

“It is no surprise that the Trump administration continues to retaliate against me for my exercise of free speech. Their latest attempt, through a kangaroo immigration court, exposes their true colors once again,” he said in a statement published by the ACLU.

“When their first effort to deport me was set to fail, they resorted to fabricating baseless and ridiculous allegations in a bid to silence me for speaking out and standing firmly with Palestine, demanding an end to the ongoing genocide. Such fascist tactics will never deter me from continuing to advocate for my people’s liberation,” Khalil added.

His lawyers have said they plan on appealing the decision. A separate federal court order was previously issued, prohibiting his deportation or detainment.

Mahmoud Khalil was detained then released for participating in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University

Khalil was one of the leading figures of the pro-Palestinian protest held on Columbia University’s campus in 2024. President Donald Trump referred to him and other activists as sympathizers of Hamas, which the government considers a terrorist organization.

In March, Khalil was detained in Louisiana for three months. On June 20, a federal judge ruled that he was not a flight risk, nor a threat to his community. His lawyers also filed a lawsuit for $20 million in damages, alleging “false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and being smeared as an antisemite,” according to the BBC.

Trump has repeatedly called for the deportation of pro-Palestinian protesters and activist. He referred to Khalil’s arrest as “the first of many to come.” Several other students were arrested and detained in connection to their participation to pro-Palestinian student protests, including Columbia University’s Mohsen Mahdawi, Yunseo Chung and Tufts University’s Rumeysa Ozturk.