Deportation halt sought amid new evidence on Mahmoud Khalils case

Columbia University Student’s Deportation Case Reopened Due to New Evidence

A US immigration appeals court has been asked to reopen and terminate the deportation case of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student who was targeted by the Trump administration for his pro-Palestine advocacy. The latest legal appeal, filed by Khalil’s lawyers, cites new evidence that suggests the Trump administration may have “engineered” the outcome of his immigration case.

In March 2025, Khalil was detained by immigration enforcement agents and a final order of removal was issued by the Board of Immigration Appeals in June 2025. However, a report by The New York Times has revealed that Khalil’s case had been flagged as high priority before it arrived at the Board of Immigration Appeals, indicating it may have been “fast-tracked”. Additionally, the court had been instructed to treat Khalil’s case as if he were still in detention custody, which typically results in an expedited processing timeline.

Khalil’s lawyers claim that these developments support their assertion that the administration has reverse-engineered its desired outcome. The report also found that three judges at the Board of Immigration Appeals recused themselves from the case, a rate considered extremely rare.

The Trump administration had framed Khalil’s deportation as part of a crackdown on anti-Semitism, but presented no evidence to back these claims. Khalil has never been charged with a crime and has maintained that he was unjustly targeted for his political views.

Khalil is a US permanent resident who is married to a US citizen and has been released from immigration detention in June 2025 following a federal judge’s order. He is also appealing the decision, during which time authorities are barred from re-detaining or deporting him.

Source: Al Jazeera