14 Democratic representatives sign petition for the release of pro-Hamas activist Mahmoud Khalil

Fourteen members of Congress signed a letter Tuesday calling for the release of Mahmoud Khalil.

After a federal judge in Manhattan ruled Monday that the pro-Hamas militant should not be deported until the court says otherwise, more than a dozen members of Congress have signed a petition to keep Khalil from being deported from the United States.

Among the signatories are members of Congress who belong to the most extreme wing of the Democrats: Rashida Tlaib, Mark Pocan, Nydia M. Velazquez, Delia C. Ramirez, Ilhan Omar, Summer Lee, Ayanna Pressley, Lateefah Simon, Al Green, Gwen S. Moore, André Carson, Nikema Williams, James P. McGovern and Jasmine Crockett.

Khalil was arrested Saturday night by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the State Department terminated his student visa. In parallel, the DHS accused the Palestinian student of directing "Hamas-aligned activities."

The Trump administration is seeking to deport Khalil under section 237 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), after, according to reports, Secretary of State Marco Rubio "found that his presence and activity in the U.S. could compromise important U.S. foreign policy, leading to his deportation."