Khalil Appeals to Supreme Court After Deportation Ruling

Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court after a federal appeals court declined to reconsider a ruling that could lead to his deportation, according to multiple reports.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 6-5 against rehearing the case, which involves challenges to his detention and potential deportation based on his activism. Khalil's lawyers plan to ask the Supreme Court to intervene in the coming months, possibly by late summer.

Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student, was detained in March 2025 after engaging in pro-Palestinian activism. He spent three months in an immigration jail, missing the birth of his child. The Trump administration has accused Khalil of leading activities aligned with Hamas and failing to disclose information on his green card application.

Khalil's lawyers argue that his detention is retaliation for his protest activity and that he would face mortal danger if deported to Algeria or Syria, the countries suggested by immigration officials. They also claim that new evidence indicates Khalil's case was subject to procedural abnormalities and was fast-tracked through the system.

The Trump administration has justified the arrest under a seldom-used statute that allows for the expulsion of noncitizens whose beliefs are deemed to pose a threat to U.S. foreign policy interests. A federal judge had previously ordered Khalil's release, finding that the justification would likely be declared unconstitutional.