Activist Mahmoud Khalil Seeks Supreme Court Review on Deportation
A federal appeals court upheld the Trump administration's deportation order against anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil, rejecting his legal challenge, though his legal team plans to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Anti-Israel activist faces deportation after appeals court rejects legal challenge
The legal battle surrounding Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent anti-Israel activist, has reached a critical juncture, as New York Post reports. A federal appeals court has upheld the Trump administration’s deportation order against the 31-year-old, dealing a significant blow to his legal defense team, which has now signaled its intention to appeal to the US Supreme Court.
The Philadelphia-based 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Friday that a lower court judge lacked the authority to release Khalil from detention. The decision reinstates previous findings that immigration proceedings must be exhausted before federal courts can intervene in such cases.
Arrest and Detention History
Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and US permanent resident of Algerian origin born in Syria, was arrested in March 2025 at his New York City apartment. Authorities charged him with organizing disruptive campus protests at the university.
US District Court Judge Michael Farbiarz had initially ordered his release after 104 days in custody, citing fundamental legal deficiencies in the government’s detention rationale. However, a federal appeals panel reversed this decision, requiring the case to proceed through immigration court channels.
Immigration Board Rules for Deportation
In April, the Justice Department’s Board of Immigration Appeals determined that Khalil is subject to removal, clearing the path for his expulsion from the United States.
The deportation action centers on allegations that Khalil concealed material information during his permanent residency application. Specifically, he allegedly failed to disclose his employment with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)—an organization designated as terror-tied—between June and November 2023, as well as prior work with the British embassy in Syria.
Legal Team Signals Supreme Court Appeal
Baher Azmy, an attorney representing Khalil at the Center for Constitutional Rights, characterized the appeals court decision as deeply troubling. “That ruling green-lights holding someone in prolonged, brutal detention conditions without access to meaningful judicial review,” he stated to Reuters.
Khalil’s legal representatives maintain that he cannot be lawfully deported while a separate federal court proceeding continues.
DHS Moves Forward With Enforcement
The US Department of Homeland Security signaled its readiness to proceed with enforcement following the appellate ruling. A DHS spokesperson told Reuters that the agency “will work to enforce Khalil’s lawful removal order.”
The department further urged Khalil to voluntarily depart the country using the CBP Home app, warning that failure to do so could result in forced deportation and permanent bar from re-entry to the United States.
With information from New York Post
