NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani says Mahmoud Khalil should stay amid deportation
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Anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil should “stay in New York” as the Trump administration tries to deport him, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Thursday.
“Mahmud Khalil is a New Yorker,” Mamdani said at a press conference.
“He should stay in New York,” he added. “We found that this attack on him was part of a larger attack on freedom of expression, which is particularly pronounced when it comes to the use of speech to defend the human rights of Palestinians.
“And I will say this publicly — and I’ve said this many times — that he deserves to stay in the city. He deserves to be in the city, just like every other New Yorker.”
ANTI-ISRAEL OFFICER MAHMUD KHALIL SHARES $1 AFTER FEDERAL JUDGE RULES THAT TRUMP ADMIN CANNOT ARREST HIM
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil should “stay in New York” as the Trump administration tries to deport Khalil. (Getty Images)
Open January 15A federal appeals court ruled that a lower court judge did not have the authority to side with the Trump administration and order Khalil’s release.
In a 2-1 decision, a three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz in New Jersey lacked “subject matter jurisdiction” under federal immigration law to stop the Trump administration’s effort to remove Khalil.
In March, Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student from Syria, was arrested at Columbia for his anti-Israel activism on campus, and an immigration judge ruled that he could be removed from the country based on a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that said the campus protests were not compatible with U.S. foreign policy interests.
MAMDANI CALLS NYC WORKER’S DETENTION ON ICE ‘ATTACK ON OUR DEMOCRACY’
Mahmud Khalil poses for selfies after being released from federal immigration detention in Jena, La., on June 20, 2025. (Fox News Digital’s Kat Ramirez)
he was his release was ordered He was taken into government custody on June 20 after being arrested at his New York City apartment by special agents from Homeland Security Investigations in early March.
The New York Civil Liberties Union, which represents Khalil, said in a statement to Fox News Digital: “Since Mahmud’s appeal process has not yet been concluded, he cannot be legally detained or deported at this time.”
The team added: “But it’s no surprise to hear the government reiterate what has always been its ultimate goal: to impose an excessive deportation sentence on Mahmoud for his pro-Palestinian speech. The government’s statements only reinforce its disdain for the First Amendment rights of people participating in lawful protests and make clear why federal court intervention is so vital.”
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital that Khalil “was given the privilege of coming to America to work on a student visa he obtained through fraud and misrepresentation.”
“As we have always stated, the executive branch has the legal authority to take actions that will protect the public and ensure the integrity of our immigration system,” Jackson said. he added.
“Khalil was denied his visa because he knowingly and deliberately failed to accurately report information about his background. Those who lied to the government to gain entry to the United States will face justice.”
Khalil is a legal permanent resident whose wife and child are American.
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Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who was released from ICE custody, was arrested at Divine St. Mary in Manhattan on June 22, 2025, in New York City. He speaks during a rally on the steps of St. John’s Cathedral. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Fox News’ Brie Stimson and Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
