A bold and controversial decision is creating waves on and off campus. A U.S. immigration judge at the LaSalle Immigration Court in Jena, Louisiana, ruled that the Trump administration can deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and green card holder with no criminal record. Khalil’s involvement in last year’s pro-Palestinian protests has now put him in the national spotlight. ⚖️
The judge sustained the charge that Khalil’s presence poses a threat to U.S. foreign policy—a provision from the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act that is rarely used. An April 23 deadline has been set for Khalil and his lawyers to file applications for relief in order to challenge the deportation order.
In the courtroom, Khalil passionately declared, "There's nothing more important than due process and fundamental fairness … Neither of those principles were present today." He further lamented, "This is exactly why the Trump administration has sent me to this court 1,000 miles away from my family," emphasizing his deep sense of isolation and injustice.
The drama escalated on social media when U.S. President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform. Trump labeled Khalil a "Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student" and stated, "This is the first arrest of many to come." He added, "We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again."
This ruling comes at a time when nearly 1,000 international students and scholars have seen their visas revoked or their status terminated in the federal SEVIS system, many of whom were involved in pro-Palestinian campus protests across the nation. The case continues to fuel heated debates about due process, freedom of expression, and the role of campus activism in today’s polarized environment. 🤔
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U.S. judge allows Trump admin to deport Columbia University student
cgtn.com
