A federal immigration judge in Louisiana has ordered Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and lawful permanent resident, deported to Algeria or Syria after finding he withheld key details on his green card application. Judge Jamee Comans ruled that Khalil deliberately omitted information about his past work with a UN agency and the British Embassy in Beirut.
Khalil, who was detained in New York earlier this year following pro-Palestinian protests, disputes the allegations and calls the case retaliation for his activism. His deportation remains on hold under a separate order from U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz in New Jersey while he pursues a civil rights lawsuit against the Trump administration. His attorneys say they will appeal the ruling.