Judge temporarily blocks deportation of former Columbia grad student accused of backing Hamas
A New York City judge has temporarily prevented a former Columbia University graduate student from being deported over his pro-Hamas activism.
District Judge Jesse Furman of Manhattan is blocking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from removing Mahmoud Khalil 'unless and until the Court orders otherwise.'
A New York City judge has temporarily prevented a former Columbia University graduate student from being deported over his pro-Hamas activism.
District Judge Jesse Furman of Manhattan is blocking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from removing Mahmoud Khalil “unless and until the Court orders otherwise.”
”To preserve the Court’s jurisdiction pending a ruling on the petition, Petitioner shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court orders otherwise,” Furman wrote on Monday, as reported by ABC News.
Furman has also reportedly called for a hearing to take place on Wednesday.
Khalil, who has remained in the U.S. on a green card, is currently at an ICE detention facility in Louisiana, according to his attorney.
In a message posted to X on Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security stated that Khalil “led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.”
President Trump followed up on Monday by announcing that Khalil’s arrest was the first “of many to come” concerning pro-Hamas students.
”Following my previously signed Executive Orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “This is the first arrest of many to come.”
The president also noted that there are more students at Columbia and elsewhere that have promoted “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity,” which the administration “will not tolerate.”
”We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again,” Trump continued. “If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here.”
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However, left-wing activist groups have vowed to support Khalil in his legal battle.
”The Department of Homeland Security’s lawless decision to arrest him solely because of his peaceful anti-genocide activism represents a blatant attack on the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech, immigration laws, and the very humanity of Palestinians,” the Council on American-Islamic Relation (CAIR) posted to X on Monday.
”We and other civil rights groups are in communication with Mahmoud’s legal counsel,” it continued. “This fight is just starting.”