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NEW YORK, NY – A former Columbia University student facing deportation is contesting the government’s case, presenting evidence that casts doubt on the underlying claims. Mahmoud Khalil, previously a student at Columbia University, was detained on campus and is scheduled for removal proceedings, however, his legal team has submitted documents challenging the veracity of the government’s accusations, related to his immigration status and involvement in pro-Palestinian student protests. The case has raised concerns about free speech and the targeting of activists.
Legal Team Challenges Government’s Deportation Case Against Former Columbia Student
NBC News examined over 100 pages of official documents filed by the federal government in its effort to deport Mahmoud Khalil. The review also included materials submitted by Khalil’s legal representatives, such as his application for permanent residency, news articles detailing his activism, and contracts and correspondence outlining his internship and professional experiences.
The evidence suggests that in certain instances, the government appears to be leaning on unsubstantiated tabloid reports concerning Khalil. In other cases, the government’s assertions regarding his actions are demonstrably inaccurate due to conflicting timelines.
Lawyers for Khalil, a 30-year-old lawful permanent resident, argue that his March 8th arrest was a consequence of his constitutionally protected speech and his prominent role in the pro-Palestinian student protest movement of the previous year.
Khalil’s legal team has not offered comments on the matter.
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The Trump administration, which has stated its intention to revoke visas of international students, particularly those engaged in political activism, has presented evolving arguments against Khalil. Initially, two weeks after his apprehension, they claimed he provided false statements on his U.S. residency application, a deportable offense.
Ultimately, government officials asserted that Khalil supported Hamas, a designated terrorist organization; fostered an unsafe environment for Jewish students through his activism; and that his continued presence in the United States “would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences.”
The Department of Justice has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Khalil Rejected Accusations of Antisemitism
Immigration Judge Jamee Comans recently ruled that Khalil’s deportation is at the discretion of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952. This act permits the removal of any noncitizen if the Secretary of State deems their presence a threat to U.S. foreign policy.
Rubio characterized Khalil’s activities as antisemitic and, therefore, contrary to U.S. foreign policy objectives. Judge Comans denied a defense motion to obtain supporting evidence and cross-examine Rubio.
Khalil’s attorney presented evidence disputing the antisemitism allegations contained within Rubio’s memorandum.
As part of their defense, Khalil’s legal team referenced a CNN article from April 2024. In the article, Khalil was asked about his message to Jewish students who felt unsafe on campus.
“I would say that the liberation of Palestine and the Palestinians and the Jewish people are intertwined,” he replied. “They are interconnected. Anti-Semitism and any form of racism has no place on campus and in this movement.”
In the same article, Khalil highlighted the participation of Jewish students in Columbia’s protest encampment the prior year, noting their observance of Passover Seders. “They are an essential component of this movement,” Khalil stated.
Rubio’s memo, the government’s primary piece of evidence in the deportation case against Khalil, acknowledged that while Khalil’s beliefs, statements, or associations were “otherwise lawful,” allowing him to remain in the United States would undermine “U.S. policy to combat anti-Semitism globally and domestically, in addition to efforts to protect Jewish students from harassment and violence within the United States.”
Marc Van Der Hout, one of Khalil’s attorneys, previously described these government claims as “baseless allegations intended to obscure the fact that its true motivation in bringing these charges against Mahmoud is to silence him.”
Discrepancies Highlighted in Khalil’s Employment Record
The government’s case incorporates Khalil’s permanent residency application submitted in March 2024.
In the application, Khalil indicated his status as a graduate student at Columbia University and his role as a program manager at the British Embassy in Beirut from June 2018 to December 2022.
The Trump administration contended that Khalil failed to disclose “ongoing employment” at the British Embassy in Beirut “beyond 2022.” As support, the government presented an image of Khalil’s profile from the Society for International Development’s forthcoming conference in June 2025. The profile mentioned his continued employment at the embassy.
However, a spokesperson for Britain’s Commonwealth and Development Office clarified to NBC News that Khalil “does not work for the FCDO and has not done so for over two years.”
Khalil’s “extension of fixed term contract” with the British Embassy in Beirut confirms his employment until December 20, 2022. The contract, dated November 1, 2022, bears the British Embassy in Beirut seal and signatures from both the head of corporate service and Khalil.
The Society for International Development, the conference organizers, issued a statement clarifying that Khalil was not scheduled to participate in the upcoming June event, although he did participate in 2020.
The government further alleged that Khalil neglected to disclose his position as a “political affairs officer” at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in New York in 2023, and his involvement with the group Columbia University Apartheid Divest.
The Trump administration referenced articles, including one from the New York Post, stating Khalil held the title of political affairs officer at UNRWA, citing his LinkedIn profile.
An UNRWA spokesperson clarified that Khalil completed a six-month unpaid internship in New York during 2023. The spokesperson confirmed he was not an employee and was never on the agency’s payroll.
“UNRWA does not employ personnel with the job title of ‘Political Affairs Officer,'” the spokesperson stated.
Khalil’s legal team also submitted evidence including a letter from UNRWA to Columbia University informing the school of Khalil’s internship selection at the Representative Office of UNRWA in New York, dated May 17, 2023.
Another letter entered into evidence, from Columbia University, verified Khalil’s completion of an UNRWA internship for three academic credits in 2023. The letter is dated April 10, 2025, and signed by an associate director of Khalil’s graduate program.
Columbia University declined to comment, citing student privacy obligations.
Government’s Evidence Relies on Tabloid Reports
Similarly, the government presented several articles as evidence, including publications from the New York Post, The Times of India, and the Washington Free Beacon. These articles mentioned Khalil’s association with the group Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), which the government claims he omitted from his residency application.
These articles were published in late April 2024 and afterward – a month after Khalil submitted his permanent residency application.
A New York Post article published on March 9, 2025, cited by the government, described Khalil as the leader of a “radical group, Columbia United Apartheid Divest (CUAD), which sympathizes with terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah and calls for the ‘end of Western civilization.’”
Van Der Hout previously stated that Khalil acted as a negotiator and spokesperson for the Columbia University student protesters, which included CUAD as part of a coalition of groups involved in the on-campus demonstrations.
“CUAD is a collective of organizations without individual membership, so the allegation would be entirely without merit, even if the government’s evidence wasn’t dated a month after Mahmoud submitted his application,” Van Der Hout explained.
Khalil has until April 23 to file for relief and is permitted to remain in the United States until that date.