Trump moves to deport Palestinian activist as student protests escalate
Mahmoud Khalil, Palestinian activist (Photo: Getty Images)
The US Department of Homeland Security has initiated deportation proceedings against 30-year-old Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder and activist involved in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, NBC News reports.
Khalil was detained in New York and later transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana, where his deportation hearing is scheduled for March 27.
According to DHS documents, Khalil poses a "serious threat to US foreign policy interests." "The Secretary of State has determined that your presence or activities in the United States would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States," the notice states.
Khalil refused to sign the deportation document, and his lawyers argue that his arrest is politically motivated. A federal judge has temporarily blocked his deportation while reviewing the legality of his arrest, but the removal proceedings continue.
Lawyers challenge the allegations
Khalil’s legal team insists that the authorities have provided no evidence linking him to extremist organizations. "What happened to Mahmoud Khalil is shocking and unprecedented," said his lawyer Ramzi Kassem.
The White House claims Khalil "organized protests that threatened the safety of Jewish students" and distributed "Hamas propaganda." Trump administration press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “I didn’t even bring these materials into the briefing room - they are not worthy of this place.”
Meanwhile, Khalil’s wife, a US citizen who is eight months pregnant, pleaded for his release, saying her husband was detained after an Iftar dinner, and ICE agents ignored his status as a legal resident. "They said they were there to revoke his green card but never presented a warrant," she stated.
Immigration law experts note that the statute used for Khalil’s deportation is rarely invoked. "If the administration starts using this measure broadly, it would mark a dramatic shift from historical practice," said New York University professor Adam Cox.
The arrest of the Palestinian activist has sparked protests among students and human rights advocates. "This arrest does not make Jewish people any safer,: said Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss. Meanwhile, Khalil’s lawyer, Samah Sisay, "This is a direct violation of free speech and political persecution."
