Federal judge temporarily blocks deportation of Palestinian activist

Mar 10

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Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

A federal judge in New York temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to deport Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. ICE arrested him for allegedly leading anti-Israel protests at Columbia University.
The U.S. State Department revoked his green card, and he is being held in a Louisiana detention facility.
Khalil, who has not been charged with any crimes, allegedly played a key role in last year’s pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

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A federal judge in New York has temporarily blocked efforts by the Trump administration to deport Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. He allegedly led anti-Israel protests at Columbia University.

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“Following my previously signed executive orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a radical foreign pro-Hamas student on the campus of Columbia University. This is the first arrest of many to come,” President Donald Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

The U.S. State Department also revoked Khalil’s green card.

A green card holder is a noncitizen who has been granted authorization to live and work permanently in the United States. If a green card holder is found to have been involved in a riot or any criminal activity, they can face legal consequences such as arrest, fines, imprisonment or deportation, depending on the severity of their case.

Khalil has not been charged with any crimes.

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What’s next for Khalil?

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Khalil on Saturday, March 8. He is currently being held in a detention facility in Louisiana. His lawyers have filed a motion for him to be returned to New York City, Fox News reports.

“To preserve the Court’s jurisdiction pending a ruling on the petition, Petitioner shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court orders otherwise,” the judge ruled Monday, March 10.

What else is happening with Khalil and the university?

The arrest comes just days after the Trump administration revoked $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University over what it calls “the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.”

Khalil was a graduate student at Columbia University and served as a student negotiator who met with university administrators. He was allegedly a key figure in last year’s pro-Palestinian protests and encampment that erupted on the university’s campus in the spring, The Associated Press reports. Khalil graduated in December 2024.

A hearing in the case is scheduled for Wednesday, March 12.

Tags: Columbia University, Donald Trump, federal judge, green card, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Israel, Lawsuit, Louisiana, Marco Rubio, New York City, Palestine, Prison

[Lauren Taylor]

A FEDERAL JUDGE IN NEW YORK TEMPORARILY BLOCKED EFFORTS BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO DEPORT A PALESTINIAN ACTIVIST WHO ALLEGEDLY LED ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.

“FOLLOWING MY PREVIOUSLY SIGNED EXECUTIVE ORDERS, ICE PROUDLY APPREHENDED AND DETAINED MAHMOUD KHALIL, A RADICAL FOREIGN PRO-HAMAS STUDENT ON THE CAMPUS OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. THIS IS THE FIRST ARREST OF MANY TO COME.” PRESIDENT TRUMP WROTE IN A POST ON TRUTH SOCIAL.

THE US STATE DEPARTMENT ALSO REVOKED KHALIL’S GREEN CARD.

A GREEN CARD HOLDER IS A NON-CITIZEN WHO HAS BEEN GRANTED AUTHORIZATION TO LIVE AND WORK PERMANENTLY IN THE UNITED STATES.

IF A GREEN CARD HOLDER IS FOUND TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A RIOT OR ANY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, THEY CAN FACE LEGAL CONSEQUENCES, SUCH AS ARREST, FINES, IMPRISONMENT, OR DEPORTATION — DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THEIR CASES.

KHALIL HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH ANY CRIMES.

US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT ARRESTED KHALIL SATURDAY AND HE’S CURRENTLY BEING HELD IN A DETENTION FACILITY IN LOUISIANA. HIS LAWYERS HAVE FILED A MOTION FOR HIM TO BE RETURNED TO NEW YORK CITY, FOX NEWS REPORTS.

“TO PRESERVE THE COURT’S JURISDICTION PENDING A RULING ON THE PETITION, PETITIONER SHALL NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE UNITED STATES UNLESS AND UNTIL THE COURT ORDERS OTHERWISE,” THE JUDGE RULED MONDAY.

THE ARREST COMES JUST DAYS AFTER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REVOKED $400 MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY OVER WHAT IT CALLS “THE SCHOOL’S CONTINUED INACTION IN THE FACE OF PERSISTENT HARASSMENT OF JEWISH STUDENTS. “

KHALIL WAS A GRADUATE STUDENT AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND SERVED AS A STUDENT NEGOTIATOR WHO MET WITH UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS. HE WAS A KEY FIGURE IN LAST YEAR’S PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTS AND ENCAMPMENT THAT ERUPTED ON THE UNIVERSITY’S CAMPUS IN THE SPRING, THE AP REPORTS. KHALIL GRADUTED IN DECEMBER.

A HEARING IN THE CASE IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY.

FOR SAN, I’M LT.