Mahmoud Khalil has been challenging his arrest in federal court, arguing it was unlawful. (AP pic)
NEW YORK: A US judge temporarily blocked the deportation of a Palestinian graduate student at Columbia University who was arrested over the weekend after he led anti-Israel protests at the Ivy League campus.
Mahmoud Khalil has been challenging his arrest in federal court, arguing it was an unlawful government retaliation for his “constitutionally protected peaceful advocacy”, according to filings by his attorneys in New York federal court.
US district judge Jesse Furman today said Khalil “shall not be removed from the US unless and until the court orders otherwise”.
He set a hearing on the case for Wednesday.
Khalil was arrested March 8 at off-campus Columbia housing even though he’s a lawful permanent resident, court filings show.
US agents told him that his student visa and green card had been revoked by the state department.
Since then, Khalil was moved to a US immigration and customs enforcement processing centre in Jena, Louisiana, one of his lawyers said.
Columbia was the site of prolonged student protests after the Oct 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, which killed 1,200 people.
The US labels Hamas a terrorist organisation.
Israel’s retaliation against Gaza and Hamas has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Yesterday, President Donald Trump posted on social media that “ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student on the campus of Columbia University”.
He said it would be “the first of many to come”.
Green card holders aren’t typically arrested without a serious criminal offense.
Revoking a green card is usually a prolonged process because the holder has been vetted and is on the path to being eligible to become a US citizen.
After Khalil’s arrest, US secretary of state Marco Rubio posted on X: “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
Last week, the Trump administration cancelled US$400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia, citing antisemitism complaints by Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests.
One of Khalil’s lawyers, Amy Greer, didn’t immediately respond today to a request for comment.
After his arrest, she said in a statement: “We will vigorously be pursuing Mahmoud’s rights in court, and will continue our efforts to right this terrible and inexcusable – and calculated – wrong committed against him.”
Columbia issued a statement saying it would follow federal law.
“Columbia is committed to complying with all legal obligations and supporting our student body and campus community,” the university said.
“We are also committed to the legal rights of our students and urge all members of the community to be respectful of those rights.”
Khalil completed his Master’s programme in public administration in December and is set to graduate in May, according to his lawyers.
His wife is eight months pregnant.
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