Anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil could be deported to Algeria
Federal authorities have targeted Khalil as a Hamas sympathizer, although he has repeatedly rejected those accusations. During a previous television interview, he refused to explicitly condemn the group, intensifying the controversy surrounding his case.
Mahmoud Khalil
Anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a former graduate student at Columbia University, could be deported to Algeria, ending a protracted court battle over his immigration status in the United States, federal officials confirmed.
Khalil, 31, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents early last year as part of the administration of President Donald Trump's crackdown on anti-Israel protests on college campuses. The government accuses him of fraud in his green card application and of holding positions considered contrary to U.S. foreign policy interests.
"It looks like he's going to Algeria. That's the thinking right now," Homeland Security Under Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in an interview with NewsNation. "It's a reminder to those who are in this country on a visa or a green card: you are guests in this country; behave as such. It is a privilege, not a right, to live or study here," she added.
Court battle and setback for Khalil
Khalil, a Syrian-born Algerian citizen, is a legal permanent resident of the United States, but not a citizen. He spent nearly three months detained in an immigration jail in Louisiana.
In June 2025, a federal judge in New Jersey ordered his release on the grounds that the legal basis for his detention might be unconstitutional. Last week, however, a federal appeals court reversed that ruling, handing a key victory to the White House and paving the way for his deportation.
The three-judge panel ruled that the case must first move forward within the immigration court system before Khalil could file a civil suit.
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Allegations and the activist's position
Khalil maintains that his detention and deportation proceedings are retaliation for his activism.
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Next steps
It was not immediately clear when federal authorities will proceed with his final detention and removal from the country. Following the court ruling, McLaughlin publicly urged Khalil to "self-deport" before being rearrested.
The case has generated protests and political divisions, and has become one of the most visible examples of the current administration's immigration and national security policies.
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