Who Is Mahmoud Khalil, Spared Deportation By US Courts?
Mahmoud Khalil a Palestinian activist and former graduate student at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). Mahmoud was born in Syria in 1995 and holds an Algerian citizenship. He completed his undergraduate studies in Beirut and enrolled at Columbia, where he earned his master’s degree in December 2024.
During his study at Columbia University, Khalil proactively participated in pro-Palestinian activism. He also served as a lead negotiator during the Gaza Solidarity Encampment in April 2024, which facilitated discussions between student activists and the university administration.
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On March 8, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Khalil at his university-owned apartment in Manhattan. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrested him based on President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism and alleged that Khalil’s “led activities were aligned to Hamas, which the US identifies as a terrorist organisation”.
Khalil’s attorney, Amy Greer, reported that earlier, ICE agents were revoking his student visa, but upon learning of his permanent resident status, they started to revoke his green card instead.
Following his arrest, Khalil was transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana, prompting legal challenges and public outcry.
On March 10, 2025, Judge Jesse M. Furman of the Southern District of New York ordered that Khalil “shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court orders otherwise”. The order has temporarily blocked his deportation and set a habeas corpus hearing for March 12.
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Khalil’s arrest has sparked widespread criticism from civil rights organizations and individuals calling the decision against the First Amendment rights.
The ICE decision has raised significant concerns regarding the balance between national security measures and the protection of free speech, particularly regarding political activism on university campuses.
