A judge in Louisiana Friday ruled that Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, who participated in pro-Palestinian protests, can be deported from the U.S., agreeing with the administration that the activist posed “serious foreign policy consequences” for Washington.
Khalil, a legal U.S. resident was detained on March 8 and flown to Louisiana, where the judge heard his case in Jena.
Immigration Judge Jamee E. Comans observed that the administration “established by clear and convincing evidence that he is removable.”
The judge said defendants lawyers have until April 23 to seek a deportation waiver.
In New Jersey, a federal judge temporarily halted Khalil’s deportation.
Khalil’s wife is a U.S. citizen and the couple is expecting a baby soon.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued in court documents on March 7 that the information received from the Department of Homeland Security about Khalil shows that his presence in the country would undermine a U.S. foreign policy goal of combating antisemitism in the world.
Once the judge ruled in the case, Khalil said that due process rights and fundamental fairness were absent from the proceedings. “Clearly what we witnessed today, neither of these principles were present today or in this whole process.”
His lawyers said they would fight for Khalil’s rights.
