Trump Administration Orders Deportation of Columbia Activist Mahmoud Khalil

A federal immigration judge has ordered the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student, to either Algeria or Syria, citing allegations of "hateful behavior and rhetoric" and misrepresentations on his green card paperwork. Khalil, a green card holder, has denied the claims, stating he was an unpaid intern at the United Nations agency and not a member, and that he stopped working at the British Embassy in Beirut in 2022. The Trump administration has accused Khalil of being a threat to national security due to his pro-Palestinian activism, which he denies.

Key Takeaways:

• Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student, has been ordered to be deported to either Algeria or Syria by a federal immigration judge.
• The Trump administration has accused Khalil of "hateful behavior and rhetoric" and misrepresentations on his green card paperwork, which he denies.
• Khalil has stated that he was an unpaid intern at a United Nations agency and not a member, and that he stopped working at the British Embassy in Beirut in 2022.
• The immigration judge, Jamee Comans, found that Khalil was not legally entitled to a waiver of deportation, citing "the gravity of his conduct."
• Khalil's lawyers have stated that the claims against him are "baseless" and "pretextual," and that the immigration judge "rushed to a decision without providing a hearing on the evidence as due process requires."
• Khalil has 30 days to appeal the ruling to the Board of Immigration Appeals, and if his appeal is rejected, he will lose his green card status and be ordered to leave the country.

Statistics:

• 30 days: The amount of time Khalil has to appeal the deportation order to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
• 2 countries: Algeria and Syria, which Khalil has been ordered to be deported to.
• 1 time: The immigration judge, Jamee Comans, has denied Khalil's motion for a waiver preventing his removal from the U.S.
• 1 statement: Khalil's lawyers have stated that the claims against him are "baseless" and "pretextual."

Sources:

• [1] "Federal immigration judge orders former Columbia University student to be deported to either Algeria or Syria". (No date specified)
• [2] Statement by Khalil's lawyers on September 17, 2025, citing irregularities in the immigration judge's decision.
• [3] "Khalil v. United States" court papers filed on September 17, 2025.