NEW YORK (AP) — Mahmoud Khalil appeared in a federal appeals court in Philadelphia as he continues to challenge a deportation case initiated by the administration of former President Donald Trump over his pro-Palestinian activism at Columbia University.
The hearing before the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals is part of a government appeal meant to overturn a lower court's decision granting his release from an immigration detention facility in Louisiana last June.
Khalil’s attorneys urged the panel of judges to affirm the district court's ruling, which currently protects him from further detention and deportation procedures.
On the opposing side, Drew Ensign, representing the government, argued that the lower court's actions were beyond its authority and that the matter should be handled by the immigration court in Louisiana. “All of this is being conducted in an improper forum,” said Ensign, emphasizing that the case should not have progressed to this stage.
A previous immigration court ruling stated that Khalil could be deported, but that decision is now undergoing review by an appeal board.
As a legal U.S. resident and spouse to an American citizen, Khalil remains steadfast in his advocacy for Palestinians, claiming he’s been targeted as a warning to deter others from speaking out. Recently, he received permission to travel for activism and rallies across the nation.
Following the hearing, Khalil expressed his determination to continue the legal fight, stating, “They want to make an example of me to intimidate those speaking out for Palestine across the country. I’m stating unequivocally: I will continue my legal fight in federal courts for my rights, and for everyone’s right, to free speech.”
Khalil's arrest represents a broader crackdown on student activists and academics involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, a movement some officials have associated with antisemitism, which Khalil has consistently denied.
