Mahmoud Khalil has been ordered by a US immigration judge to be deported to either Algeria or Syria, citing alleged anomalies on his green card application.

A US immigration judge has ordered Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and prominent pro-Palestine activist, to be deported to Algeria or Syria, citing alleged omissions on his green card application, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

Immigration Judge Jamee Comans denied Khalil’s request for a waiver to block his removal on Wednesday, stating that he “willfully misrepresented material fact(s) for the sole purpose of circumventing the immigration process and reducing the likelihood his applications could be denied.”

Such actions could not be excused, Comans claimed, emphasizing that Khalil’s “lack of candor on his I-485 form was not an oversight by an uninformed, uneducated applicant.”

Mahmoud Khalil Freed after Months in ICE Detention over Pro-Palestine Activism

Khalil, 30, who was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in March and released on bail in June, criticized the decision, framing it as retaliation for his political activism.

“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.

“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 (Israeli) genocide. Such fascist tactics will never deter me from continuing to advocate for my people’s liberation.”

Khalil’s attorneys have 30 days to appeal the ruling to the Board of Immigration Appeals.

Judge Rules Mahmoud Khalil Can Be Deported from US, Cites Foreign Policy Threat

Khalil was arrested in early March by plainclothes ICE agents for his involvement in protests against Israel’s war, spending over three months in immigration detention before being released in June 2025.

His case drew widespread attention as part of what rights groups have called a crackdown by the Trump administration on international student activists critical of Israeli policies.

Khalil’s arrest had become the most high-profile of several immigration cases brought against pro-Palestinian international students. He was the last to remain in custody, after others were either released or chose to leave the country amid deportation proceedings.

Khalil was never charged with a crime. Government officials accused him of posing a threat to national security and promoting antisemitism—claims his lawyers say were politically motivated and unsubstantiated.

(PC, AA)