Don't Lie On Your Green Card
Mahmoud Khalil Is Off To Syria or Algeria - But Not By Choice
An immigration judge in Louisiana has ordered the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian refugee and prominent pro-Palestinian activist, citing misrepresentations on his green card application. The ruling was issued after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that Khalil's activism posed "adverse foreign policy consequences" for the United States.
An immigration judge in Louisiana has ordered the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old Syrian refugee and prominent pro-Palestinian activist at Columbia University, to either Algeria or Syria, citing misrepresentations on his green card application and potential adverse impacts on U.S. foreign policy. The ruling, issued on September 17, 2025, by Immigration Judge Jamee Comans in the Executive Office for Immigration Review's New Orleans division, denied Khalil's request for a waiver and stems from his March 2025 arrest during campus protests against Israel's actions in Gaza.
Khalil, who fled Syria's civil war and entered the U.S. as a refugee in 2014 before obtaining lawful permanent resident status, was accused of willfully omitting affiliations with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and Columbia's Apartheid Divest group, student organizations critical of Israeli policies, from his 2018 green card application. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked a rarely used provision under the Immigration and Nationality Act, determining that Khalil's activities as a protest organizer posed "adverse foreign policy consequences" for the United States, paving the way for removal proceedings.
The order specifies: "It is hereby further ordered that Respondent be Removed from the United States to Algeria, or in the alternative to Syria," reflecting Khalil's dual citizenship options but raising alarms from advocates about potential persecution in both nations. Algeria, where Khalil holds citizenship through his mother, has been criticized for human rights abuses, while Syria remains unstable amid ongoing conflict, according to human rights groups.
Khalil's legal team, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and immigration attorneys, immediately announced plans to appeal the decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals and, if necessary, federal court. "This ruling is an unprecedented attack on free speech and the rights of immigrants to engage in political activism," said ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt in a statement. "Mr. Khalil faces torture or worse if deported, we will fight this all the way." The appeal argues that the omissions were not material misrepresentations and that deporting Khalil over protected First Amendment activities sets a dangerous precedent.
Khalil, a recent graduate of Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) Class of 2024, emerged as a leader in the university's pro-Palestinian encampments in spring 2025, advocating for divestment from companies tied to Israel. His arrest on March 15, 2025, alongside dozens of students during a sit-in at Low Library, led to federal scrutiny under expanded immigration enforcement targeting campus activism amid heightened U.S.-Israel tensions.
The case has drawn widespread condemnation from civil liberties advocates and support from pro-Israel groups. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called it "retaliation for speaking truth to power," while the Zionist Organization of America praised the ruling as upholding national security. As of Thursday morning, Khalil remains in ICE custody in Louisiana, with no immediate timeline for removal pending the appeal.
The ACLU has filed a letter with U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz in New Jersey, seeking an emergency stay.