Mahmoud Khalil Petitions Supreme Court to Block Deportation
Mahmoud Khalil petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to block his re-arrest and deportation following a crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus activism.
Columbia University graduate and legal permanent resident Mahmoud Khalil petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to block his re-arrest and deportation. Khalil was arrested in March 2025 during a Trump administration crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus activism. Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act to deem Khalil removable, alleging his activities created a hostile environment for Jewish students.
The legal battle shifted when a New Jersey district judge initially ordered Khalil's release based on First Amendment grounds. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reversed that decision, ruling that such constitutional challenges must be processed through immigration courts rather than federal district courts.
Khalil's legal team, including the Center for Constitutional Rights, argues that this ruling prevents noncitizens from challenging retaliatory detention in constitutional courts. The Supreme Court may review the petition alongside a similar case involving Georgetown University scholar Badar Khan Suri. If the court declines the petition or upholds the appellate ruling, Khalil faces immediate redetention and deportation to Algeria or Syria.
