Judge Orders Deportation of Columbia Activist Mahmoud Khalil

In a controversial decision that’s sending shockwaves across campuses and courtrooms, an immigration judge has ruled that Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil can be deported — not for a crime, but for allegedly posing a foreign policy threat.

The ruling, issued Friday in a Louisiana courtroom, leans on a Trump-era interpretation of immigration law that allows deportation without the government needing to prove its case with solid evidence. Khalil, a legal U.S. resident with a green card and an American wife, now faces possible removal to either Syria or Algeria unless his legal team files a relief application by April 23.

The courtroom fell silent, then stunned, as the judge made her decision — echoing the Trump administration’s claims without demanding further proof. Some of Khalil’s supporters burst into tears.

“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,” Khalil told the judge after the hearing. “Clearly what we witnessed today, neither of these principles were present today or in this whole process.”

The judge’s decision aligns with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s claim that Khalil’s activism is causing “adverse foreign policy consequences” for the U.S. But Khalil’s supporters say the real issue is his outspoken stance on Palestinian rights — not any legitimate threat.

Khalil’s wife, Noor Abdalla, released a statement that was read outside the courtroom:

“No person should be deemed removable from their home for speaking out against the killing of Palestinian families, doctors and journalists... My husband is a political prisoner who is being deprived of his rights because he believes Palestinians deserve equal dignity and freedom.”

She called the decision “a devastating blow to our family” and “an indictment of our country’s immigration system.”

Meanwhile, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate the ruling, calling it “welcome news” and writing, “Good riddance.”

However, Khalil’s legal battle isn’t over just yet. A separate federal case in New Jersey has ruled that he cannot be deported while those proceedings are still active.

Marc Van Der Hout, one of Khalil’s attorneys, didn’t mince words in a statement following the ruling.

“Today, we saw our worst fears play out: Mahmoud was subject to a charade of due process, a flagrant violation of his right to a fair hearing, and a weaponization of immigration law to suppress dissent… If Mahmoud can be targeted in this way, simply for speaking out for Palestinians and exercising his constitutionally protected right to free speech, this can happen to anyone.”

Legal experts warn that this case could set a troubling precedent for other international students and activists living in the U.S., especially those whose views challenge U.S. foreign policy.

With Khalil’s future hanging in the balance, the spotlight is now squarely on America’s immigration courts — and whether justice can exist without evidence.

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