A U.S. immigration judge in Jena, Louisiana, has ruled that the Trump administration can deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student. The judge cited Khalil's involvement in last year's pro-Palestinian campus protests as a potential threat to U.S. foreign policy.
At a hearing in the LaSalle Immigration Court, Judge Jamee Comans declared, "the court will sustain charge of removability," and set an April 23 deadline for Khalil and his legal team to file applications seeking relief. Khalil, a green card holder with no criminal record, was arrested at a university-owned apartment in New York City and later transferred to an immigration detention center in a southern coastal state.
In a powerful statement during the proceedings, Khalil stressed, "There's nothing more important than due process and fundamental fairness," and lamented being tried 1,000 miles away from his family. His passionate words highlight a deep concern for fairness amid a complex immigration process. ⚖️🤔
The ruling follows a strongly worded post on the Truth Social platform by U.S. President Donald Trump, who labeled Khalil a "Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student" and warned, "We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again." Khalil and his lawyers deny any affiliations with terrorism, arguing instead that this case reflects the challenges of applying a decades-old law in modern campus environments.
This incident adds to concerns over immigration policies as nearly 1,000 foreign students and scholars have seen their visas revoked or statuses terminated, according to recent data. As this story unfolds, it fuels a broader debate on due process, campus activism, and the direction of U.S. immigration policy.
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U.S. judge allows Trump admin to deport Columbia University student
cgtn.com
