Mahmoud Khalil, a key figure during pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, will remain detained in Louisiana amid the Trump administration’s plans to deport him. On Wednesday (March 12), lawyers argued whether the 30-year-old should be moved back to New York.
Khalil was arrested from his university residence in New York’s upper Manhattan over the weekend by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. His arrest has raised concerns about free speech on college campuses in the US and whether a green card holder can be deported.
Let’s take a closer look.
Who is Mahmoud Khalil?
Mahmoud Khalil played a big role in pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University last spring.
Born in Syria to Palestinian refugees, Khalil earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science at Lebanese American University.
He previously worked at the British Embassy in Lebanon from 2018 to 2022, reported Middle East Eye. Khalil managed the Syria Chevening Programme for the British Embassy in Beirut, offering scholarships for study in the United Kingdom.
He moved to the United States on a student visa in 2022, joining Columbia University early next year.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/us-deport-palestinian-activist-mahmoud-khalil-green-card-holder-pro-palestinian-campus-protests-13871157.html.
