US Immigration Board Orders Deportation of Activist Mahmoud Khalil
The US Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) has issued a final removal order for Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student and Palestinian rights activist. The BIA, which operates under the Department of Justice and the Trump administration, ruled that Khalil can be deported. His legal team argues this decision is retaliatory punishment for his pro-Palestine activism and free speech, violating his constitutional rights. Although the BIA order is final, Khalil remains protected from immediate deportation by a separate ongoing federal habeas corpus case. A federal judge previously suggested the immigration charges might be an unconstitutional effort to punish Khalil for his speech. However, a recent appeals court ruling limited that judge's jurisdiction, allowing the administration to proceed. Khalil, a legal permanent resident, was arrested in March 2025 during a crackdown on campus protesters. He spent over three months in detention, missing significant personal milestones. His lawyers plan to appeal, emphasizing the stakes for First Amendment protections against government retaliation.
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US Immigration Board Orders Deportation of Activist Mahmoud Khalil
The US Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) has issued a final removal order for Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student and Palestinian rights activist. The BIA, which operates under the Department of Justice and the Trump administration, ruled that Khalil can be deported. His legal team argues this decision is retaliatory punishment for his pro-Palestine activism and free speech, violating his constitutional rights. Although the BIA order is final, Khalil remains protected from immediate deportation by a separate ongoing federal habeas corpus case. A federal judge previously suggested the immigration charges might be an unconstitutional effort to punish Khalil for his speech. However, a recent appeals court ruling limited that judge's jurisdiction, allowing the administration to proceed. Khalil, a legal permanent resident, was arrested in March 2025 during a crackdown on campus protesters. He spent over three months in detention, missing significant personal milestones. His lawyers plan to appeal, emphasizing the stakes for First Amendment protections against government retaliation.
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