A federal judge in New Jersey ruled that anti-Israel leader Mahoud Khalil could sue the U.S. government for trying to deport him.
The U.S. District Court’s ruling on the New Jersey area comes after a Louisiana judge ruled that the U.S. government could expel Ivy League graduates.
Khalil conducted separate court cases in two states - Louisiana's case focused on his deportation order, while New Jersey's case focused on his habeas petition, challenging the legality of his detention.
Federal authorities attempted to dismiss Khalil's case, saying the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act deprived the court of jurisdiction to review its constitutional claims at this stage.
Judge Claire C.
Judge Rules
Anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil blows him up against the Trump administration’s case against him in this week’s Washington Post column. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)
Khalil, who was approved for deportation by a U.S. immigration judge, argued that the Trump administration had “eroded” his right to freedom of speech.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lawyers believe Khalil's claim to freedom of speech is "red herring", saying the 30-year-old green card holder lied about his visa application.
Trump defends student deportation, rejects criticism of freedom of speech
They said Khalil deliberately failed to disclose his employment at the British Embassy in his Syrian office in Beirut when he applied for permanent U.S. residence.
Federal officials claimed that "at the time of adjustment, Khalil" was "unacceptable" because "there was "fraudulent or intentionally falsely stated material facts in his application for identity."
The agency also accused Khalil of failing to disclose his work and membership in UN relief and Palestinian refugees Columbia University's segregation and divestment.
Thousands of people participated in the pro-Palestinian protests on Israel’s attack on Gaza and demanded the release of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil in New York City, USA on March 18, 2025. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
He was accused of being the leader of the university's pro-Palestinian protests. The Department of Homeland Security also claimed that he "led the activities consistent with the designated terrorist organization Hamas", although Harrier denied the allegations.
After the ruling, Khalil's immigration lawyer Sabrine Mohamah called the decision "shocking".
"It is a blatant violation of the First Amendment and a dangerous precedent for anyone who believes in freedom of speech and political expression," she said.
“Mahmoud is currently incarcerated in Louisiana, which detains more than 7,000 people a day and serves as the second largest immigration detention center in nine detention centers in Louisiana, the U.S., eight of which are privately operated, including the only ice layer in the country connected to the airport, so the state’s mass masses are placed across states.”
Mahmoud Khalil
A pro-Palestine protester held a flag on the roof of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University in New York, USA on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security The ruling also praised Columbia University for graduating from "hate America."
"A visa or green card to live and study in the United States of America is an honor. When you advocate violence, glory and support for terrorists who enjoy killing Americans and harassing Jews, that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country," she said. "Good mystery."
Mahmoud Khalil's wife, Noor Abdalla (C), left after a court hearing in Newark, New Jersey on March 28, 2025. (Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images)
A Louisiana judge said he would be deported to Syria or Algeria.
Khalil has Algerian citizenship through his mother but was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria.
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U.S. citizens Khalil and Abdalla met in 2016 while volunteering in Lebanon. They got married in 2023 and she was eight months pregnant when she was arrested.