Trump authorities allege concealed data by pro-Palestinian advocate Mahmoud Khalil upon green card submission
Unveiling the Controversy Surrounding Mahmoud Khalil's Deportation
The Trump administration, accusing Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist, of being a Hamas sympathizer without concrete evidence, justifies his proposed deportation. The government claims Khalil intentionally concealed connections to two organizations on his application for permanent U.S. residency—the Syria office of the British Embassy in Beirut and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). According to the US government's brief, Khalil's actions constitute fraud and willful misrepresentation of a material fact, a claim his legal team finds weak.
Khalil played a role as a negotiator for pro-Palestinian student protesters during the contentious campus encampment against the Israel-Hamas war in the spring of last year. He was arrested on March 8, 2025, and has been held in custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement since then. US District Judge Jesse Furman, an Obama appointee, issued an order blocking the government from indefinitely deporting Khalil and transferred the case.
The initial allegations accused Khalil of posing a threat to U.S. security. These claims referenced a law allowing noncitizens to be expelled if their presence has "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States." Yet, asked about Khalil's involvement in terrorist activities, Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar offered vague responses, providing no hard evidence.
Meanwhile, other foreign academics were flagged for deportation this month as the administration intensifies its scrutiny of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, complementing broader immigration crackdown measures. Khalil's legal team views the new justification for his deportation as insubstantial. Attorney Baher Azmy asserted that the new allegations are a recognition that the original charges are untenable and a desperate attempt to put forth a more legally defensible argument. Khalil's defense team is expected to submit a response to the government's updated arguments by Tuesday afternoon.
The Controversy Surrounding UNRWA
Controversy surrounding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) predates Khalil's detention. American and Israeli politicians have raised concerns over antisemitic behavior among UNRWA staff alongside its humanitarian mission. Established in 1949, UNRWA has been the United Nations' primary agency for providing aid and relief to Palestinians in the Gaza and West Bank, along with several other countries. Services include shelter, healthcare, food, and education.
Critics point to allegations that UNRWA workers were involved in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, leading to Israel's decision to ban UNRWA's operation within the country. In response, the Biden administration withdrew U.S. funding from the agency in January 2024, following example set by more than a dozen other countries. The Trump administration severely restricted aid to UNRWA, citing concerns about infiltration by terrorist organizations. Officials with UNRWA staunchly deny these accusations and argue that any claims of terrorism involvement should be independently investigated.
Judicial Proceedings and Family Concerns
Following Khalil's arrest, he was moved to an ICE processing facility in Jena, Louisiana, more than a thousand miles from the court and his pregnant wife, a U.S. citizen. Citing bedbug issues and lack of space at a detention center in New Jersey, the government justified the transfer. Khalil's legal team has requested that the judge order ICE to move him to a facility closer to the court and his family. The Trump administration maintains that the court has no authority in this matter.
Khalil's attorney argues that any debate over the completeness of his residency application should be decided by a judge, not unilaterally by ICE. In his lawyer's words, "We'll deal with that claim on its own terms when the time comes in the immigration court. For now, for purposes of the federal case and his right to bond and ultimately his release from detention, we don't think it undermines our case at all."
- Khalil, being a pro-Palestinian activist, has been a part of collegiate institutions, particularly during the contentious campus encampment against the Israel-Hamas war.
- Despite the allegations against UNRWA, the organization where Mahmoud Khalil worked in Syria, the controversy surrounding the agency predates Khalil's detention.
- The legal team representing Khalil, who faces deportation, has requested the court to order ICE to move him to a detention center closer to the court and his family, citing his pregnant wife's U.S. citizenship.
