A Louisiana immigration judge says Mahmoud Khalil can be deported
Story by Gloria Pazmino, Lauren Mascarenhas and Dalia Faheid, CNN • 15h
A Louisiana immigration judge said Friday that Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil – a legal permanent resident – can be deported after the United States government argued his presence posed “potentially serious foreign policy consequences.”
The decision by Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Jamee Comans comes after the federal government submitted evidence to the court on Wednesday, including a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleging Khalil is deportable because of his “beliefs, statements or associations” that would compromise US foreign policy interests.
Khalil’s attorneys said the judge’s decision was solely based on Rubio’s memo – which contained no allegations of criminal activity – and was a violation of the graduate’s constitutional right to free speech that sets a harmful precedent.
“Despite the government’s failure to prove that Mahmoud broke any law, the court has decided that lawful permanent residents can have their status revoked for pro-Palestine advocacy,” Khalil’s legal team said at a press conference following the hearing. “This is a blatant violation of the First Amendment and a dangerous precedent for anyone who believes in free speech and political expression.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-louisiana-immigration-judge-says-mahmoud-khalil-can-be-deported/ar-AA1CJ81i?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=112511bd8207441b972f41eaeca82802&ei=47
