An immigration judge in the US has ordered the deportation of pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil to either Algeria or Syria, over claims he omitted information from a green card application.

Judge Jamee Comans, based in Louisiana, stated that Mr. Khalil “wilfully misrepresented material fact(s) for the sole purpose of circumventing the immigration process”.

In a statement to the American Civil Liberties Union, Mr. Khalil expressed that it was no surprise that the Trump administration continues to retaliate against him for exercising his free speech.

Mr. Khalil, a permanent US resident of Palestinian descent, was a prominent figure during the 2024 Gaza war protests at Columbia University, where he studied.

Lawyers for Mr. Khalil, 30, stated they would appeal against the decision, highlighting that separate federal court orders prohibit the government from deporting or detaining him.

In March, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials detained Mr. Khalil as part of a crackdown on universities accused of not addressing antisemitism. He was held for three months before a judge ruled he was not a flight risk or threat to the community.

While detained, Mr. Khalil’s wife, a US citizen, gave birth to their son. The US government has claimed that Khalil failed to disclose previous associations on immigration documents, including membership in a UN agency that works with Palestinians and continued employment at the British Embassy in Beirut.

Mr. Khalil has denied these allegations, asserting that the deportation efforts are attempts to silence him due to his outspoken stance on Palestinian rights.

In a previous lawsuit, Khalil's lawyers filed a claim for $20 million in damages, alleging false imprisonment and malicious prosecution, accusing the government of fabricating allegations to dismiss his voice.

President Trump has associated pro-Palestinian activism with support for Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, and suggests that actions like Mr. Khalil's arrest are only the beginning.

Mr. Khalil has clarified that he played a speaking and mediating role during Columbia’s protests, not a leadership position, amidst accusations aimed at discrediting his activism.