NEW YORK (AP) — Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student and Palestinian activist, has had his latest attempt to dismiss his deportation case denied by an immigration appeals board. The ruling, issued by the Board of Immigration Appeals, paves the way for possible re-arrest and deportation, a development Khalil and his legal team deemed expected but politically charged.
Khalil criticized the decision as “biased and politically motivated,” emphasizing that he is facing persecution for voicing his concerns over what he terms genocide in Palestine. His legal representation argues that he cannot be legally detained or deported while pursuing a separate case in the federal court system.
The board's ruling marks another step in Khalil’s long battle against the U.S. immigration system, which he claims has been weaponized against critics of the government’s policies towards Israel and Palestine. His past involvement in pro-Palestinian protests, which the government alleges aligns with Hamas, has brought significant scrutiny and tension.
Khalil, who spent 104 days in custody after his arrest last March—missing the birth of his first child—has faced ongoing legal challenges ever since. Earlier court rulings have complicated his legal status, with a U.S. appeals panel recently finding that the judge who ordered his release overstepped his authority. Khalil’s lawyers are now looking to challenge this recent appellate ruling, asking for further reconsideration of his case by the full appeals panel.
Born to a Palestinian family in Syria, Khalil holds Algerian citizenship through a distant relative and has expressed fears of being targeted or killed if deported back to his homeland. His case exemplifies broader issues within the U.S. immigration system, particularly in relation to activists who oppose government policies.
Khalil criticized the decision as “biased and politically motivated,” emphasizing that he is facing persecution for voicing his concerns over what he terms genocide in Palestine. His legal representation argues that he cannot be legally detained or deported while pursuing a separate case in the federal court system.
The board's ruling marks another step in Khalil’s long battle against the U.S. immigration system, which he claims has been weaponized against critics of the government’s policies towards Israel and Palestine. His past involvement in pro-Palestinian protests, which the government alleges aligns with Hamas, has brought significant scrutiny and tension.
Khalil, who spent 104 days in custody after his arrest last March—missing the birth of his first child—has faced ongoing legal challenges ever since. Earlier court rulings have complicated his legal status, with a U.S. appeals panel recently finding that the judge who ordered his release overstepped his authority. Khalil’s lawyers are now looking to challenge this recent appellate ruling, asking for further reconsideration of his case by the full appeals panel.
Born to a Palestinian family in Syria, Khalil holds Algerian citizenship through a distant relative and has expressed fears of being targeted or killed if deported back to his homeland. His case exemplifies broader issues within the U.S. immigration system, particularly in relation to activists who oppose government policies.
