Supreme Court to hear Mahmoud Khalils US deportation appeal case

US Pro-Palestine Advocate to Appeal Deportation Case to Supreme Court

Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestine advocate, has announced plans to appeal his deportation case to the US Supreme Court. The decision comes after a federal appeals court declined to rehear Khalil’s case challenging his immigration detention.

Khalil was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in March 2025, following which he pursued two legal tracks. His first challenge focused on civil liberties grounds, arguing that his free speech rights as a US permanent resident had been compromised. In June last year, a federal judge ruled in Khalil’s favor, ordering his release from immigration detention and barring his deportation.

However, the federal appeals court later ruled that the initial ruling lacked jurisdiction over the matter. As a result, Khalil’s case will now be taken to the top court in the US.

Khalil’s lawyers have been challenging his deportation in US immigration courts, with the Board of Immigration Appeals issuing a final order of removal last month. However, Khalil’s lawyers have also appealed the ruling, citing “apparent procedural abnormalities” in the case.

According to reports, Khalil’s case was flagged as high priority before it reached the Board of Immigration Appeals, which led his lawyers to argue that the case was being “fast-tracked”. The report also found that three judges at the board recused themselves from the case due to potential conflicts of interest.

Khalil and his legal team have maintained that he is being targeted by the Trump administration for his pro-Palestine advocacy. The administration has invoked a rare provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows for the deportation of individuals deemed to be a national security threat based on their past or current beliefs or associations.

Khalil’s lawyers argue that there is no evidence to support the claim that he poses a national security threat, and that the administration’s actions are intended to intimidate those who speak out in support of Palestine.

Source: Al Jazeera