Judge temporarily blocks effort to deport Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia student protests

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN US

Updated 5:26 PM EDT, Mon March 10, 2025


CNN — A federal judge in New York has blocked any efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia university graduate and Palestinian activist who was arrested Saturday night until a hearing Wednesday, according to court documents. He is expected to appear in court on Wednesday morning, according to the documents.

Khalil, a prominent Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University’s student protest movement demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, was arrested Saturday night by federal immigration authorities who said they were acting on a State Department order to revoke his green card, according to his attorney. Khalil’s arrest is the latest escalation by President Donald Trump – in what he calls, “the first arrest of many to come,”– to crack down on pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses, and comes days after he vowed to deport foreign students and imprison “agitators” involved in “illegal protests.”

“On March 9, 2025, in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student. Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization,” the US Department of Homeland Security said in a post on X Sunday night. Khalil was at the forefront of the student-led anti-war movement at Columbia University last year.

He was among those under investigation by a new university committee that brought disciplinary charges against dozens of students for their pro-Palestinian activism, “ICE’s arrest and detention of Mahmoud follows the US government’s open repression of student activism and political speech, specifically targeting students at Columbia University for criticism of Israel’s assault on Gaza,” Khalil’s attorney Amy Greer said. “The US government has made clear that they will use immigration enforcement as a tool to suppress that speech.”

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/10/us/mahmoud-khalil-columbia-university-israel-hnk/index.html

[berniesandersmittens]

1. K&R nt

[Klarkashton]

2. Trump personally demanded that he be deported.

Must have seen stories about this on Fox News.

Apparently they didn't know he had a green card.

[regnaD kciN]

3. Less "didn't know" -- more "didn't care"...

I think people should probably understand that, under this regime, permanent residency status can become temporary at any time, if you hold political positions the regime doesn't like.

[Bok_Tukalo]

4. Or apparently Israel doesn't like

[JohnSJ]

6. What exactly are you saying?

[JohnSJ]

5. It depends. If a person commits certain violations regardless if they have green card and permanent residency, they can

be deported.

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/grounds-deportability-when-legal-us-residents-can-be-removed.html#:~:text=Even%20someone%20with%20a%20green,the%20United%20States%20and%20removed.&text=U.S.%20law%20contains%20a%20long,to%20their%20country%20of%20origin.

The courts will decide this, and if there isn't evidence to justify the deportation then it shouldn't happen.

[JohnSJ]

7. The green card or permanent residency doesn't matter, he can still be deported if he has committed certain violations.

That will be decided by the courts.

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/grounds-deportability-when-legal-us-residents-can-be-removed.html#:~:text=Even%20someone%20with%20a%20green,the%20United%20States%20and%20removed.&text=U.S.%20law%20contains%20a%20long,to%20their%20country%20of%20origin.

[iemanja]

10. Like free speech?

That is what you are suggesting is grounds to deport someone will full protection under the law. So much for the constitution.

[JohnSJ]

11. No I am not. The question is are doing this on the basis of the activities of taking over a campus building, vandalism,

and activities on private property where Columbia is situated on, or some other charge?

Are they providing him with due process, etc.

As a legal resident with a green card he can be deported if they have evidence of certain criteria that allows it:

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/grounds-deportability-when-legal-us-residents-can-be-removed.html#:~:text=Even%20someone%20with%20a%20green,the%20United%20States%20and%20removed.&text=U.S.%20law%20contains%20a%20long,to%20their%20country%20of%20origin.

The courts will decide this based on if there is any evidence of violations. If not, then they have no grounds, he won't be subject to deportation, and probably will have case for a lawsuit.

[iemanja]

13. That is not the basis for deportation

Permanent resident commit crimes, even murder, and are prosecuted under US law. You clearly object to his politics, and that is why you are content with his being deported.

[JohnSJ]

19. That is not correct. If someone within 5 years of becoming a permanent resident commited certain crimes, including an

aggravated felony, which murder is included, they sure can deport that person.

If you read the link that I supplied they list what violations would subject a permanent resident to deportation. This has nothing to do with his personal politics, and it will be up to the courts to decide if their are grounds for deportation.

That is why the judge temporarily blocked Khalil's deportation while he weighs if the petition for deportation has substance. He will be in court on Wednesday morning, so we may know then if the government has grounds for deportation or not.

If they fail demonstrate grounds for deportation, Mr. Khalil will probably have grounds for a lawsuit.

An issue not discussed, though I suspect will be brought up is if Khalil was given due process, and that would be another matter.

[iemanja]

20. He has been charged with no crime

Which you would know if you had bothered to look.

[JohnSJ]

21. I have no idea what their grounds are for his deportation. I was specifically addressing your comment that implied

that a permanent resident could commit murder and not be subjected to deportation. That is not correct.

In the case of Mr. Kahlil, we may know Wednesday if there are grounds for deportation or not.

[iemanja]

23. Read your own source

Murder isn’t among the crimes that the law specifies for deportation.
Moreover, you invoked your excuse for his deportation before I mentioned murder but after you read the grounds for deportation, which don’t include the imaginary crimes you attributed to him.

[JohnSJ]

24. Murder is an aggravated felony iemanj, and subject to deportation for a Permanent Resident. That isn't case here though

It will be up to the immigration judge on Wednesday to determine if there is anything that merits deportation.

[iemanja]

25. It's according to the law

Which is very specific. Astoundingly, you cited a source with specific information about which crimes may prompt deportation yet show no understanding of that source.

[JohnSJ]

27. No, it doesn't even have to be a crime per se There are a lot of small details such as not notifying of a change of

address, etc. We will see on Wednesday what the alleged grounds for deportation are, and if they are valid.

I also believe the defendant has the right to appeal a deportation.

[iemanja]

30. We're talking about Trump

I find it fascinating that you hold up the possibility that he is following the law.

[JohnSJ]

31. You may be talking about trump, I am not. A judge has blocked any deportation to view if there is any

merit to it.

In fact only a judge has the authority to approve a deportation as I understand it.

[iemanja]

22. In addition, your own source sites the specific

crimes for which someone can be deported. Occupying a private building or public space is not among them. So why would you even hold that up as an example when your own source demonstrates it to be false?

The is no legitimate reason to excuse Trump’s attack on civil liberties.

[JohnSJ]

26. What is considered an aggravated felony? That may not even be what they are using for grounds of deportation

There are also minor infractions such as something as small as not reporting an address change to immigration, though if that is what they are using I doubt judge would accept that as grounds for deportation.

[iemanja]

28. An aggravated felony requires at least

a charge of a felony, which doesn’t exist in this case.

[JohnSJ]

29. ok

[LauraInLA]

15. I don't know how they'll make the case, but I'm guessing they'll use the provision about providing aid to a

terrorist organization.

[iemanja]

17. You guessed wrong

He hasn't been charged with a crime. https://democraticunderground.com/100220124811

[LauraInLA]

32. Thanks for the update -- yes, I know he hasn't. The idiots thought he was on a student visa, so they wouldn't have to go

through all that. But they were wrong as usual, so now they’ll have to come up with a charge for the court. I’m guessing they won’t be able to make a case .

[iemanja]

18. He hasn't been charged with a crime

[Prairie Gates]

8. Once upon a time Nixon almost caused a mistrial by saying he thought Manson was guilty

Last edited Mon Mar 10, 2025, 08:10 PM - Edit history (1)

Charlie friggin' Manson!

Now this absolute dirtbag can say anything, and nobody cares.

[Klarkashton]

9. Simpler times.

[JohnSJ]

12. It depends, and it will be up to the courts, but this could be more than an issue of free speech. As for the Nixon

issue the argument was were his comments meaning manson couldn't get a fair trial because of Nixon's assumption of guilt I believe.

The issue with Kahill may or may not involve free speech.

[LauraInLA]

14. Having read the legal grounds for revocation of a green card, I'm guessing they'll have to argue he was providing aid to

terrorist organization. I don’t see how they’ll demonstrate that, though.

[LauraInLA]

16. I think they made a big mistake here -- they thought this would be a signature slam dunk for their new policy.

They thought he was on a student visa and could be shipped out immediately accompanied by big headlines. Instead, he is a former student with a green card, and they’ll have to meet very specific criteria before it can be revoked. Instead of a quick news cycle, they’ll now face a court case.