Who is Mahmoud Khalil, Palestinian student activist facing US deportation?


Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure during the Gaza war protests at Columbia University in the spring of 2024, has drawn global attention after the Trump administration arrested and moved to deport him.

The case has raised questions about free speech on college campuses and the legal process that would allow for the deportation of a US permanent resident.

Mr Khalil was held in an immigration facility in Louisiana for three months before a federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump could no longer detain or deport him. On 20 June, a judge ruled Mr Khalil must be released.

Born in Syria, the Columbia graduate's arrest by immigration agents was linked to Trump's promise to crack down on student demonstrators he accuses of "un-American activity".

Trump has repeatedly alleged that pro-Palestinian activists, including Mr Khalil, support Hamas, a group designated a terrorist organisation by the US. The president argues these protesters should be deported and called Mr Khalil's arrest "the first of many to come".

The 30-year-old's lawyers say he was exercising free speech rights to demonstrate in support of Palestinians in Gaza and against US support for Israel. They accused the government of "open repression of student activism and political speech".

Mr Khalil's arrest was the highest-profile in Trump's crackdown on international student protesters, as video of his arrest whipped around social media and the birth of his first child in April, which he was still detained, made international headlines.

Mr Khalil was arrested in New York on 8 March. From then until mid-June he was held by immigration authorities on two charges.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked a rarely-used portion of the Immigration and Nationality Act to argue Mr Khalil's presence in the US could pose "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences".

In early June, US District Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled Rubio's justification for detaining Mr Khalil was likely unconstitutional and said the US government could not detain or deport a legal US resident under that reasoning.

Attorneys for the Trump administration then said Mr Khalil was being held for a different reason, failing to disclose information when he applied for lawful permanent residency in 2024.

But on 20 June, Judge Farbiarz ordered him to be released on bail.

The White House maintains the judge did not have jurisdiction to order Mr Khalil's release and said they plan to appeal.

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