Mahmoud Khalil to appeal US deportation case to Supreme Court | Donald Trump News
Pro-Palestine Advocate Appeals Deportation Case to Supreme Court
Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestine advocate facing deportation under the Trump administration, is set to appeal his case to the U.S. Supreme Court, his legal team announced on Friday. This follows a federal appeals court’s decision, rendered by a narrow 6-5 margin, to not rehear Khalil’s challenge to his immigration detention.
Khalil has pursued two legal avenues since his detainment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in March 2025. The first route focused on civil liberties, asserting that his rights to free speech as a U.S. permanent resident have been violated.
In June, a federal judge ruled in favor of Khalil, ordering his release from detention and blocking his deportation. However, this ruling was later overturned by a federal appeals court, which concluded that the initial judge lacked jurisdiction.
With Friday’s decision, Khalil’s case is now headed to the Supreme Court. Brett Max Kaufman, senior counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), stated, “Today’s decision is not the final word, and we still strongly believe in our arguments going forward.” He emphasized the importance of judicial oversight in cases where the government may misuse the immigration system to target individuals based on their speech.
In a separate legal track, Khalil’s team is challenging his deportation within U.S. immigration courts. Last month, the Board of Immigration Appeals issued a final order of removal; however, Khalil’s lawyers have filed an appeal against this ruling.
Recently, his legal team argued the presence of “apparent procedural abnormalities” in Khalil’s case. They referenced a New York Times report indicating that his case had been marked as a high priority before reaching the Board of Immigration Appeals, suggesting it was being “fast-tracked.” The report also noted that three judges recused themselves from the proceedings, a rare occurrence that raised concerns among legal experts.
Khalil alleges that the Trump administration is using him as an example to deter others from expressing pro-Palestine views. U.S. Secretary of State Marco employed a specific provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, allowing deportation if an individual is deemed a national security threat based on lawful beliefs or statements.
Additionally, the administration claimed that Khalil failed to disclose his previous employment with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on his immigration application. The Board of Immigration Appeals upheld both grounds for his deportation, despite Khalil never being charged with a crime and no evidence being presented to support the threat claim.
In a statement last week, Khalil expressed concern that the administration’s actions are intended to intimidate those advocating for Palestine. “They are willing to violate longstanding U.S. rules and procedures to do it,” he said.
