DHS to Deport Anti-Israel Activist Mahmoud Khalil After Court Ruling

The Trump administration is moving forward with the deportation of anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil, sending a clear message: foreign nationals who align with America’s enemies have no place on U.S. soil.

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed Wednesday that Khalil a Green Card holder from Syria with ties to Hamas and a record of inflammatory activism on U.S. campuses will be deported to Algeria. His case has become a flashpoint in the broader crackdown on foreign nationals who promote extremism under the guise of activism.

“It is a privilege, not a right to be in this country,” McLaughlin told NewsNation’s Katie Pavlich. “If you are pushing propaganda that relishes the killings of Americans or promotes terrorists, the door’s that way.”

Khalil was arrested by ICE in March after he helped lead anti-Israel protests at Columbia University, protests that DHS said were “aligned to Hamas.” While the Left rallied to his defense, it was clear that his activities crossed the line from free speech to security threat.

• Khalil, a Palestinian-Syrian national, reportedly engaged in actions sympathetic to Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

• In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Hamas supporters on U.S. soil would have their visas or Green Cards revoked.

• A federal appeals court overturned a lower judge’s decision to release Khalil from detention, clearing the way for his deportation.

Khalil’s legal team tried to delay the process by arguing that the federal court had jurisdiction to order his release. But last week, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled otherwise, confirming that the lower court lacked authority. The decision was a win for the Trump administration, which has made it clear that the U.S. will not be a sanctuary for foreign agitators.

This isn’t about politics it’s about national security. A lawful immigration system depends on the expectation that those granted the privilege of living in the U.S. will not engage in behavior that undermines American values or poses a threat to its citizens. Khalil failed that test.

Unlike the Biden administration’s open-borders chaos, the Trump team is sending a clear message if you come here and glorify terrorism, you can expect a one-way ticket out.

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