On Friday, a U.S. immigration judge ruled in favour of the Trump administration’s request to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University, citing his pro-Palestinian views as a risk to national security and U.S. foreign policy. Khalil, who is studying international affairs, had acted as a spokesperson and negotiator for student activists during protests at Columbia last spring, which denounced Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

He hasn’t been charged with breaking any laws during the protests. At the same time, the Trump administration has chosen to deport non-citizens who took part in such demonstrations and expressed opinions the federal government considers “antisemitic” or “pro-Hamas.” Immigration Judge Jamee E. Comans stated that the administration’s argument that Khalil’s continued stay in the U.S. could lead to “potentially serious foreign policy consequences” was sufficient to meet the legal standard for deportation. The judge added that the government had “established by clear and convincing evidence that he is removable.”

As per Khalil's legal team, he notified the court, “I would like to quote what you said last time that there's nothing that's more important to this court than due process rights and fundamental fairness. Clearly, what we witnessed today, neither of these principles were present.” Khalil's lawyer, Marc Van Der Hout, claimed that the government's own statements showed the effort to deport his client “has nothing to do with foreign policy.”

“Today, we saw our worst fears play out: Mahmoud was subject to a charade of due process, a flagrant violation of his right to a fair hearing, and a weaponisation of immigration law to suppress dissent. This is not over, and our fight continues,” stated his lawyer.

In an undated letter submitted to the court, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that Khalil’s activism could potentially harm Washington's foreign policy interests. However, the letter did not mention any criminal accusations or note Khalil’s alignment with Hamas. In a separate legal case filed in New Jersey challenging Khalil’s detention, the judge instructed attorneys from both sides to update him on the results of a related hearing held in Louisiana.