JENA, Louisiana – A Louisiana immigration court has decided that Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University, can be deported. The ruling, delivered on Friday, is based on the U.S. government's assertion that Khalil represents a national security concern.
Immigration Judge Jamee Comans announced the decision following a nearly two-hour hearing. Khalil retains the right to appeal the ruling.
Khalil, who was involved in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, was taken into custody by federal immigration officers on March 8 in New York. He was subsequently moved to an immigration detention facility in Jena, Louisiana.
Khalil's legal representatives have contested the legitimacy of his detention, arguing that the government is attempting to suppress freedom of expression.
According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Khalil's deportation is justified because his presence in the United States poses a threat to the nation's foreign policy objectives.