In a packed Louisiana courtroom far from the streets of New York, the fate of a Palestinian-born Columbia University student now hangs on a single deadline: one day.
On Tuesday, an immigration judge in Jena, Louisiana gave the U.S. government until 5 p.m. Wednesday to hand over evidence justifying the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old student who’s become a lightning rod for free speech debates in the era of campus activism and political crackdowns.
“If he’s not removable, I’m going to be terminating this case on Friday,” said Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Jamee Comans, setting a final hearing for the week’s end.
Khalil, arrested in New York last month and transferred over 1,200 miles away to a detention center in rural Louisiana, has spent the past several weeks locked up with no access to the evidence being used against him. During Tuesday’s hearing, he sat silently, prayer beads wrapped around his hand, as his attorney appeared via video from California. The attorney said the government still hadn’t shared a single document.
The judge appeared visibly frustrated. “There’s nothing more important to this court than Mr. Khalil’s due process rights,” she said, refusing to allow prolonged legal back-and-forths while Khalil remained behind bars.
The Department of Homeland Security lawyers promised they’d deliver the materials by the deadline.
At the core of this high-profile case is a fundamental question: can a legal U.S. resident be deported for political speech—specifically, criticism of U.S. support for Israel during the war in Gaza?
Khalil’s defenders argue that’s exactly what’s happening. They say his arrest, transfer, and detention stem from his outspoken role in campus protests, including his leadership in the “Revolt for Rafah” encampment at Columbia University. The government claims his green card was fraudulently obtained and that his presence harms U.S. foreign policy—a provision dating back to a Cold War-era law from 1952.
“This case is about whether lawful residents can speak out about Gaza—or anything else—without fear that their dissent will be used as a weapon against them,” Khalil’s attorney said after the hearing. “Today it’s a green card holder. Tomorrow, is it a citizen?”
Khalil, born in a Syrian refugee camp, has described himself as a political prisoner. The Trump administration says it has revoked visas from hundreds of foreign students in recent months as protests against U.S. policy in Gaza sweep across campuses. Officials have alleged that these demonstrations sometimes cross into harassment of Jewish students, an accusation protest organizers—including some Jewish groups—strongly deny.
Tuesday’s hearing also revealed just how much national attention the case is drawing. The livestream crashed as nearly 600 people attempted to log in. Only attorneys and Khalil’s pregnant wife, Noor Abdalla—due to give birth this month—were permitted access.
Even if the judge rules against Khalil on Friday, the story won’t end there. He’d still be able to request protection from deportation if he can show he’d face persecution if returned. And he could appeal the judge’s ruling.
But for now, the government has just one day to prove its case—or risk watching it unravel entirely.
