Immigration judge orders Mahmoud Khalil to be deported to Algeria or Syria

A federal immigration judge has ordered Mahmoud Khalil be deported to either Algeria or Syria, ruling that he concealed information on his US green card application about past affiliations with controversial organizations.

In a Sept. 12 decision issued in Louisiana, Judge Jamee Comans found that Khalil failed to disclose his internship with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and his ties to Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), an anti-Israel campus coalition. According to Fox News, Comans wrote that the omissions were deliberate and constituted grounds for removal under federal immigration law.

According to court filings, Khalil is accused of committing immigration fraud by failing to disclose material facts on his application for permanent residency. Authorities say he misrepresented his background, leaving out his work with UNRWA and his leadership role in CUAD. UNRWA has been tied to Hamas and the Oct 7, 2023 atrocities.

The judge ruled that these omissions amounted to misrepresentation and concealment, which meant Khalil obtained his green card under false pretenses. US officials argued that withholding such information carried national security and foreign policy implications.

At Columbia University, Khalil was a leading figure in anti-Israel activism. He acted as a negotiator and spokesperson for CUAD, which pushed for divestment from companies tied to Israel and an end to partnerships with Israeli institutions.

His campus activity included participation in an unauthorized march where demonstrators praised the October 7 Hamas attacks. He was also formally warned with suspension in April 2024 for his role in organizing campus tent encampments, though that sanction was later withdrawn. Columbia’s Office of Institutional Equity further reviewed his conduct for antisemitism and anti-Israel speech, including social media posts critical of Zionism.

Federal authorities argued that Khalil’s failure to disclose these affiliations on his green card application was central to the deportation order.

Khalil, a legal permanent resident, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 8 at his Manhattan apartment and held for more than three months in Louisiana before being released in June.

While a federal judge temporarily blocked his removal earlier this year, Wednesday’s ruling clears the way for deportation. Khalil’s legal team has said they will appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals.