The Board of Immigration Appeals has denied Mahmoud Khalil’s latest bid to dismiss his deportation case, bringing the former Columbia University graduate student one step closer to removal from the United States.
Why it matters
The case has become a test of how far the federal government can go in deporting legal permanent residents over political speech. Civil liberties groups say it sets a precedent that could affect millions of non-citizens who participate in protest movements.
The ruling
The board issued a final order of removal on Thursday, according to Khalil’s lawyers. It rejected his argument that the case should be dismissed because the State Department’s determination that his presence posed a foreign policy threat was based on protected speech.
Khalil, 31, holds legal permanent residency in the United States. He was born in Syria to a Palestinian family and holds Algerian citizenship. He was arrested in March 2025 after participating in anti-Israel protests on Columbia University’s campus.
Khalil’s response
“The only thing I am guilty of is speaking out against the genocide in Palestine, and this administration has weaponised the immigration system to punish me for it,” Khalil said in a statement.
He called the ruling “biased and politically motivated” and said he would appeal through the federal circuit courts.
The government’s position
The State Department has argued that Khalil’s activism went beyond protected speech and that his continued presence in the United States undermines foreign policy interests. The department has not disclosed the specific intelligence behind the determination, citing national security.
What happens next
The ruling does not mean Khalil will be immediately deported. He has a separate case pending in a federal circuit court of appeals, and while that case is active, deportation is likely to be stayed. His lawyers said they would continue to challenge the government’s authority to revoke residency based on political activity.