Columbia University graduate and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil (L) and his wife, Noor Abdalla, arrive at his release rally on the steps of St. John the Devine Cathedral on June 22 in New York City. On Wednesday, his lawyers said in a filing that a judge has ordered for their client to be removed from the United States to either Algeria or Syria. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 17 (UPI) -- An immigration judge has ordered former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil to either Algeria or Syria, court documents filed Wednesday show, as his lawyers argue the Trump administration is ramping up its retaliation against the Palestinian activist.
Khalil has been at the forefront of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown targeting pro-Palestine activism at universities. He was arrested March 8 for his pro-Palestine speech by the federal government, which has sought to remove him from the country.
He fought his detention in the courts, gaining his freedom in June. But the Trump administration continues its attempt to remove him, despite his wife and children being American citizens, this time on grounds that he omitted or misrepresented information on his green card application. His attorneys described the allegations as "baseless."
