Mahmoud Khalil

Mahmoud Khalil born 1995 is an Algerian citizen of Palestinian descent He was born and raised in a Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus Syria after his grandparents were displaced from Tiberia He is a permanent US resident with a green card Khalil grew up in Syria and earned his bachelors degree in computer science from Lebanese American University according to his LinkedIn profile Before enrolling at Columbia he held multiple roles in international development including with the United Kingdoms Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office In 2023 Khalil began studying to earn his masters degree in public administration at Columbias School of International and Public Affairs Following the start of the Gaza war in 2023 Khalil became involved in proPalestinian activism  Khalil was a graduate student at Columbia Universitys School of International and Public Affairs SIPA at the time of the 2024 Columbia University proPalestinian campus occupations Khalil was taken from his home by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE agents on March 8 2025 without having been charged with a crime The federal immigration agents were acting on orders from the State Department to revoke Khalils student visa When the agents were informed that Khalil of Palestinian and Syrian nationality and Algerian citizenship is a lawful permanent resident of the United States in possession of a green card they said they were revoking that instead He was transported to LaSalle Detention Center in Jena Louisiana On March 10 2025 US District Judge of New York Jesse Furman halted the Trump administrations attempt to deport Khalil so that its constitutionality may be subject to judicial review and on March 12 2025 he extended that block by written order following a hearing in Manhattan federal court