Mahmoud Khalil's Immigration Case Criticized as 'Sham' by Lawyer Amid Fast-Tracking Allegations
Mahmoud Khalil’s lawyer calls immigration case a ‘sham’ after revelation it was fast-tracked by DoJ
The Guardian
Image: The Guardian
Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and legal US permanent resident, faces expedited immigration proceedings that his lawyer claims are a 'complete sham.' The case was prioritized by the Trump administration, raising concerns over its fairness and legality, especially given Khalil's activism and the quick removal order issued by the Board of Immigration Appeals.
- 01Khalil's lawyer describes the immigration case as controlled and predetermined by the Trump administration.
- 02The Board of Immigration Appeals issued a removal order for Khalil unusually quickly, within nine days of final briefing.
- 03Khalil's detention was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge, but an appeals court has since overturned that ruling.
- 04Khalil's activism at Columbia University has drawn criticism from political figures, including Donald Trump and Marco Rubio.
- 05The case highlights broader concerns about the treatment of pro-Palestinian activists under the Trump administration.
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Mahmoud Khalil, the first noncitizen activist arrested during the Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestinian speech, is facing expedited immigration proceedings that his attorney, Marc Van Der Hout, has labeled a 'complete sham.' Internal documents reveal that the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) prioritized Khalil's case, resulting in a removal order issued just nine days after final briefings, a timeline that typically spans years. Khalil's legal team argues that the Trump administration manipulated the process to make an example of him due to his activism at Columbia University. Khalil, a legal US permanent resident and married to a US citizen, was detained for 104 days following his arrest in New York in March 2025. His detention was later ruled unconstitutional, but the recent appeals court ruling has complicated his situation, as it overturned a lower court decision that had freed him. Khalil's case is emblematic of the broader issues surrounding the treatment of pro-Palestinian activists, with previous court rulings indicating potential violations of constitutional rights.
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Khalil's case raises significant concerns about the treatment of activists and the integrity of immigration proceedings in the US, potentially affecting other individuals with similar backgrounds.
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