Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil faces immigration hearing amid deportation fight

The immigration judge scheduled a fuller hearing for April 8.

Detention and deportation battle

Khalil’s lawyers have also filed a federal court challenge against his detention and potential deportation. A US district judge in New York ruled Wednesday that Khalil can contest the legality of his detention but transferred the case to New Jersey federal court. His legal team is arguing against his removal while his wife, a US citizen, is expecting their first child.

The US government is seeking to deport Khalil under a rarely used statute that allows for the removal of noncitizens deemed to pose “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.”

Ties to campus protests and government crackdown

Khalil was arrested by ICE agents on March 8 outside his Columbia University residence. His lawyers argue that his detention was politically motivated and violated his First Amendment rights. In a letter from detention, Khalil referred to himself as a “political prisoner.”

A Palestinian-descended student who entered the US on a visa in 2022 and obtained a green card last year, Khalil became a prominent figure in Columbia’s pro-Palestinian movement.

Protesters, including Jewish participants, argue that criticizing Israel’s military actions and advocating for Palestinian rights do not constitute antisemitism or anti-American sentiment. However, some Jewish students at Columbia University have claimed that certain protests created an unsafe or hostile environment. A Columbia task force on antisemitism reported “serious and pervasive” problems on campus.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Khalil of organizing disruptive demonstrations, harassing Jewish students, and “distributing pro-Hamas propaganda.” Hamas, which governs Gaza and launched an attack on Israel in October 2023, is designated as a terrorist organization by the US government.

Protesters rally in support of detained Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, in New York. (AP photo)

Columbia University under federal scrutiny

Columbia University is under increased scrutiny from the Trump administration over allegations of antisemitism. The government has made unprecedented demands for changes at the private university, tying them to federal research and grant funding.

In response, Columbia has agreed to implement policy changes in its disciplinary process and revise the structure of departments offering courses on the Middle East before negotiations on regaining federal funding can proceed.

(With inputs from AP)